When was it published?

February 9, 1739 in The Virginia Gazette

Foreign News February 9, 1739

The Virginia Gazette

Q: What keywords are associated?

Vigo Salvage, Sunken Ships, Nantes Engineers, King Of Spain, Silver Lamp Recovery

Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia

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What is this article about?

Paris reports that engineer M. Gobert from Nantes seeks four-month extension of revoked privilege from King of Spain after spending 1,500,000 Livres on experiments to salvage ships sunk at Vigo in 1702. Efforts using cables and floats unsuccessful so far; divers recovered a 3000 Livres silver lamp.

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OCR Quality

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Full Text

London, Dec. 1. They write from Paris, that M. Gobert, Engineer at Nantes, has made Representations to the King of Spain, that his Brother and Company have expended about 1,500,000 Livres in Experiments for weighing up the Ships lost at Vigo, in 1702; upon which Consideration he demands to have the Privilege, which his Catholick Majesty revoked some time ago, prolonged only for four Months: They add, that these Engineers are actually about that Work, but they presume they have not yet succeeded in their Design of passing Cables under the Ships, which Cables they intended to fasten to Floats of Timber when the Tide was out, hoping that the Floats rising with the Tide, would likewise lift up the Ships, because it is certain, that hitherto they have only made Use of Divers; among whom they have one who got into one of those Vessels, and brought out a Silver Lamp, which is valued at 3000 Livres.

What sub-type of article is it?

Naval Affairs Economic

What keywords are associated?

Vigo Salvage Sunken Ships Nantes Engineers King Of Spain Silver Lamp Recovery

What entities or persons were involved?

M. Gobert King Of Spain

Where did it happen?

Vigo

Foreign News Details

Primary Location

Vigo

Key Persons

M. Gobert King Of Spain

Outcome

expended about 1,500,000 livres in experiments; privilege prolongation demanded for four months; not yet succeeded in design; one silver lamp valued at 3000 livres recovered by diver

Event Details

M. Gobert, Engineer at Nantes, made Representations to the King of Spain regarding expenditures by his Brother and Company on experiments for weighing up Ships lost at Vigo in 1702. Engineers are working on the project using cables under ships fastened to timber floats to lift them with the tide, but have not succeeded; previously used divers, one of whom retrieved a silver lamp from a vessel.