DISPUTED GOLD

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1934, Page 5

DISPUTED GOLD

COCOS ISLAND QUEST

ABANDONMENT ORDERED

TROOPS SENT TO ISLAND

COSTA RICA’S OBJECTION

SOVEREIGNTY QUESTION

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 7 p.m. Panama, Oct. 13. A detachment of 100 soldiers and police had embarked for Cocos Island to force a party of Englishmen to abandon their search for the pirate treasure believed to be hidden there, says a despatch from San Jose, capital of Costa Rica, to the Star-Herald. The despatch said the expedition had been instructed to demand respect for the sovereignty of Costa Rica over the island. The force also had orders to dismantle camps on the island and forbid exploration. A message from Cristobal, in the Canal Zone, states that the yacht Queen of Scots, in which the party of treasure - hunters is en route from Cocos Island to England, was held at Cristobal on Saturday by the Canal Zone immigration authorities. The officials demanded a bond to cover the repatriation of 17 treasure-hunters remaining on the island and two stationed at Panama. Commander F. S. Worsley, in charge of the expedition, said the bond would arrive from England soon. Commander Worsley, who attracted attention when he raised the Union Jack over the tropical island and claimed it for Britain, said he had experienced no difficulty with the officials of Costa Rica. He said he was not aware that Costa Rica had established any claim to the island. The commander said he would return to the island in January with a sailing ship, he having found the yacht expensive to operate.