of divers and pincers, 13 silver coins, being
Spanish piastres, 1 gold Louis d'or, 5 brass hoops and casks, and a
quantity of cannon and shot.

"Considering the value of the saved objects, it may not be of much
signification; but the salvage itself is of very great importance, as
it proves two facts, namely, first, that the wreck of the _Lutine_ has
really been found, and secondly, that there is specie still in the
wreck. As soon as anything more is picked up, I will inform you
immediately thereof. Be assured, I have taken the necessary steps to
secure the interests of Lloyd's committee, as owners of the treasure,
which we hope may entirely be saved."

A little later, the wreck was found to be very little scattered and its
precise location was determined. The news of the discovered "gold
wreck" spread among the fishermen of the Zuyder Zee and the German
Ocean and they winged it to the scene until "there were sixty-eight
large and well manned boats in the immediate neighborhood looking for
plunder." At this threatening mobilization, the Dutch government
thought it wise to send a gunboat with a party of soldiers on board.

In the summer of 1858, the divers brought to the surface the bell of
the frigate, which now rests in the committee room of Lloyd's with the
other relics. The _Lutine_ had been one of the crack ships of the
French navy and was captured by Admiral Duncan, he who sent her to her
doom. The bell bears on its bronze side the royal crown and arms of
Bourbon, and on the rim the name of "Saint Jean" under whose protection
the ship and her crew had been placed when she was launched as a
fighting frigate of His Majesty, Louis XVI of France.

The treasure seeking was continued for several years, whenever the
treacherous sea permitted, until, at length, a great gale out of the
northwest closed the channel near the wreck and covered her deeper
under the sands. The work was finally abandoned by these salvors in
1861. They had forwarded to England for the benefit of Lloyd's a total
amount of L22,162, to show that the undertaking had been worth while.
In the Act of Incorporation of Lloyd's granted by Parliament in 1871,
the treasure recovered, as well as that still left in the wreck, was
carefully referred to, and it was stated that "the Society may from
time to time do, or join in doing all such lawful things as they think
expedient, with a view to further salving from the wreck of the
_Lutine_."

It see