Show Dredge Uncovers Clue to British Gold sold Treasure Of Frigate Sunk During Revolutionary War PHILADELPHIA July 5 UP pA p- p A sweaty crew on a Delaware river dredge is rooting through each load of ot muck gouged from the theL river bottom just opposite hog island in a feverish search f for or sunken sunken treasure treasure to in British gold The dredge Commodore engaged engaged engaged en en- in deepening the Delaware channel just south of the Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia Phila Phila- delphia navy yard has brought up wine in queer old bottles cannon balls a pair of old anchors anchors anchors an an- and ship timbers with hand-forged hand spikes And In that vicinity the Brit Brit- ish frigate Merlin believed loaded loaded loaded load load- ed with the gold treasure went down In a Revolutionary war battle in the fall of 1777 Is this the Merlin the dredge Is eating into I wouldn't be much surprised surprised surprised sur sur- declared Dr Carroll H. H Francis Camden N. N J. J historian former navy officer and descendant descendant descend descend- ant of a man on whose farm cannon cannon cannon can can- non shot was heated and fired Into the British fleet The Merlin and Another British British Brit Brit- ish frigate the Augusta blew up when fire started by hot shot cannon-shot from old Fort Mercer Mercer Mer Mer- car and Fort Nassau on the New Jersey shore touched off their magazines During the last century It was believed that the Augusta carried the gold which Admiral Howe was bringing to Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadel Philadel- phia to pay the troops who occupied occupied occupied pied the city after the battle of Germantown But Dr Francis related in 1876 the Augusta was raised and no gold was found That left the Merlin Merlh Nearly bottles of the wine were recovered Some members of the crew possibly crew possibly In a spirit of historical research sampled research sampled It and declared it had an excellent excellent excel excel- lent taste |