A National Treasure Hunt.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6095, 16 June 1892, Page 4

A National Treasure Hunt.

A SHORT time ago our cable messages referred fco a French expedition to Dahomey in search of buried treasure. That there was a military expedition was confirmed by other messages, but; nothing more was heard about the buried treasure, and most people, nu doubt, believed it to be a blunder. Indeed for ono country to attack another merely for gold would be national filibustering incompatible with nineteenth-century civilisation. But residents on the African coast evidently beiiove in the treasure and in French designs upon it. One gentleman, writing to the London Globe, states :— " The French mean business (and doubloons) with the King of Dahomey. They have nine ships of war off Porto Novo, Whydah, and Kotemi. . . . They have landed many field -pieces, besides a number of Maxim and machine guns. In short, tney are determined to destroy the Dahomians, body and soul, root and branch. Upon the lowest calculation of missionaries, merchants, and natives, there must be at least one hundred millions sterling in coined gold, chiefly Spanish doubloons of 1660 and 1789, lying in Abomey for the first comer." It is believed (adds the Globe) on good grounds that an immense treasure, the accumulation of upwards of two centuries, lies buried in the Dahomiau capital, allowing largely for exaggeration, and for pounds sterling reading dollars, one hundred millions of the latter would be a large sum. It is well known | that successive Kings have buried vast quantities of bullion within the precincts of the palace, in numerous large pita, ten or more, each said to contain several millions. No doubt authentic reports of the existence of this immense treasure have reached the French Government through missionaries, traders, and others, and this will readily account for their eagerness to capture Abomey, reduce the King to submission, and sack his palace. The attempt has been postponed from time to time for various reasons, and now that the Chamber and Senate have voted the sinews of war, preparations will probably be made in good earnest for a march on Abomey. Whether the report that King Benhanzin has seized and carried off a number of Europeans, whom he intends holding as hostages, will damp the ardour of the Government, it is hard to say ; but with such an incentive as £20,000,000 an adequate and well-equipped force would probably quickly overcome all obstacles, and obtain possession of the coveted treasure, to say nothing of other valuable il loot" which may fall into the hands of the invaders.