A recent issue of Overseas, the monthly journal of the
Overseas League, contained an interesting article describing a treasure-hunt conducted by a Johannesburg syndicate on the South African coast between Port St. Johns and Port Shepstone. The treasure, valued at over a million sterling, was carried by the East Indiarnan ' Grosvenor,' which was wrecked in 1782. The ship's manifests are sufficient to stir the imagination of all but the most hardened treasure-seeker, for they read :
" The stones (precious stones, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds) which are in nineteen boxes are valued at £517,000. The gold bars number 720, valued at £420,000. The silver bars, numbering 1,450 (not valued) are stored amidships, and specie (coin) to the value of £717,000 was stored in the lazaretto, as well as the savings of the crew."
The syndicate has been making a tunnel through the sandstone strata towards the supposed site of the wreck. As a result of many optimistic reports, thousands of shares have been sold to the public. The Rand Daily Mail has administered a cold douche for the treasure- hunters by publishing articles from Mr. Cyril Campbell, who has just visited the scene of the operations. Mr. Campbell challenges the accuracy of the information on which the syndicate's plans are based, and quotes state- ments of survivors of the ' Grosvenor ' declaring that the ' Grosvenor' may be sunk elsewhere.
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