The Fourth HMS Victory Found in the English Channel

From the Feb. 2nd Panama City (Fl) News Herald.

Odyssey Marine Exploration has found the wreck of the fourth HMS Victory 330 feet down in the English Channel. It sank 264 years ago and was carrying 4 tons of gold coins. So far, they have recovered two brass cannons and are continuing to map the debris field.

So far, 31 brass cannons have been identified and they are sure it is the Victory. The 175 foot-long ship became separated from the fleet in a storm and sank October 4, 1744, with at least 900 men on board and 110 cannons, the most heavily armed vessel of its day. A new Victory was launched and was the flagship of Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar.

The exact location is being kept secret because of plundering, but they did say it is at least 50 miles from where it was thought to have sunk. It was returning from Lisbon, Portugal, with at least 100,000 gold coins.

A 1991 British stamp shows the Victory crashing into rocks. The ship's commander, Sir John Balchin, and a lighthouse keeper on Alderney were prosecuted for the incident. Pieces of the ship washed up onshore at various places, causing its location to be unknown.


SILVER FROM SPANISH GALLEON

Odyssey reported that in May 2007, it had discovered the wreck of the Spanish galleon Nuestro Senora de las Mercedes y las Animas which had sunk off Portugal in 1804, and had raised 17 tons of silver.

History Below the Sea and Treasure. It Doesn't Get Much better Than That. --Coot