DREDGE FINDS GOLD AND COINS

Southland Times, Issue 23586, 13 August 1938, Page 7

DREDGE FINDS GOLD AND COINS

SEARCH FOR SUNKEN LUTINE THE HAGUE, August 11. The huge dredger Karimata, after extending her search of the area in which the sunken frigate Lutine lies, brought up three bars of gold and a number of Spanish silver coins. It is hoped that this indicates that the stern of the Lutine has been found. 1 The wreck of H.M.S. Lutine has lain for more than 138 years among the shifting sands at the entrance to the Zuider Zee. The dredger Karimata, which is being operated by the Billiton Company, of The Hague, has a length of nearly 250 ft and a dredging depth of just on 100 ft. She was built for tin dredging in the Strait of Karimata, in the Dutch East Indies, and her buckets are so big and strong that it is believed that they should be able to bring io the surface any treasure or wreckage that remains. By agreement between the Dutch and 3rltish Governments and by Act of Parliament salvage work at the scene of the wreck is vested In the Corporation of Lloyd's, and from time to time the corporation has, as in this Instance, granted licences to varl ous salvors, but hitherto the results have not been encouraging. By the beginning of this century the total salvage proceeds amounted to more than £lOO.OOO, and there has been no substantial recovery since. The famous bell which now hangs in the middle of the underwriting room at Lloyd's was raised in 1859. It weighs 1061 b and is IT’/ain in diameter.