Submarine Appliances And Their Uses
Deep Sea Diving, &c., &c.

£50,000 recovered from “ Hamilia Mitchell.” The ship Hamilia Mitchell was lost on the Leuconna Rock, near Shanghai, having a heavy cargo in addition to specie valued at ^50,000. Lloyd’s Agent was instructed by the Underwriters to visit the scene of the wreck, and inform them as to the feasi- bility of recovering the treasure. His report was that he considered the cargo and treasure irrecoverably lost, as the depth of the water was so great and the position too dangerous for working. Captain Lodge, however, undertook the task, and having consulted Siebe, Gorman and Co. as to the diving gear he should require, they sup- plied him with a set of their Apparatus specially constructed for deep sea diving, and, having engaged two experienced Divers, Messrs. R. Ridyard and W. Penk, of Liver- pool, Captain Lodge left England and duly arrived at Shanghai, where he engaged the pilot cutter Maggie, and proceeded in search of the wreck. This operation had to be prosecuted by means of a boat, as the larger vessel could not proceed so close to the high rocks. After a search in different depths, varying- from 120ft. to 160ft. of water, the Divers at length found the wreck. The after part containing the treasure had rolled into deep water, 26 fathoms or thereabouts, for it appears that when the Hamilia Mitchell struck the rock, she rested on a ledge, but subsequently gales caused her to part amidships, the after part rolling into deep water. After some difficulty Ridyard succeeded in obtaining access to the treasure room, where he found that some of the dollars were lying in heaps, the worms having eaten the wooden boxes so that they were completely riddled. Ridyard made four successful trips, the last of which proved the most advantageous of all, for on that occasion he sent up the contents of sixty-four boxes of treasure. Ridyard being thirsty, W. Penk volunteered to ascend to the top of the island to fetch him some spring water. While filling the bucket he looked round the horizon, and to his astonishment he saw an innumerable quantity of white sails coming from the mainland. He informed Captain Lodge of the circumstance ; that gentleman identified them as several hundred piratical junks bearing down upon the island. Orders were therefore given to slip the anchor and chain, but the wind being light they were obliged to make use of oars ; and, although in an exhausted con- dition, Ridyard pulled some time until a breeze sprang up, when they were enabled to make sail, and with the aid of night they reached Shanghai safely, running a very close risk, not only of losing the treasure they had on board, but also their lives. The Shan- ghai papers blame the authorities for not giving the expedition sufficient protection. The total amount of treasure recovered was ^40,000, and but for this contretemps, Ridyard would have completed the entire salvage of the treasure. The balance was recovered some time later. These three operations are particularly notable by reason of the great depths from which the specie was recovered, but much larger sums in specie, etc., have been recovered from vessels sunk in shallower depths, as, for instance, in the cases of the Malabar from which bullion to the value of ^'300,000 was salved ; the Darling Downs, cargo of wool, etc., valued at ^100,000 (of 725 bales all but five were recovered by divers); s.s. Queen Elizabeth, cargo and specie valued at ^'120,000. 178