Hi Treasuekidd,
I sent you an e.mail earlier, perhaps you did not receive it.
However from reading some of your posts it appears there could be some confusion as to what could be buried on Gardiners'/Rhode and or Block island.
Kidd took Two ships The Fateh Mohammed and the Quedagh Merchant, Both were flying under a flag of Convenience that is French. Similar to ships of today which although sailing under lets say a Liberian flag, it does not mean that the ship is Liberian.
So Kidd took the ships as legitimate targets for a Privateer sailing with the King of Englands pass.
The Sultans treasure which one of your posts mentions was in fact taken by Henry/Long Ben Avery,
This ship was the Gang I swa. The one returning from Mecca with the Moguls/Sultans daughter and his viceroys of India.
Meanwhile Kidd had returned to the Caribbean, stopping at Tortuga, where he purchased a ship /sloop called St.Antonio.
He transferred some of his loot and some of his crew to this ship and sailed for New York While the adventure prize/Quedagh Merchant with the rest of Kidds crew headed for Hispaniola/Cuba to await there Captain.
Once in American waters Kidd sent a message to his old friend Lord Bellomont/Governor of New York to arrange a safe passage for him and his crew, while waiting for Bellomonts answer Kidd landed treasure on Gardiners Island, He also stopped at Block Island and Rhode Island.
He was contacted by Bellomont Who promised him safe Passage.
Yet when Kidd landed he was arrested for Piracy and sent back to England in chains Aboard HMS Advice.
He was transferred to Newgate Prison to await trial, while in prison he sent two almost identical letters, one to the House of Lords and the other to the House of Parliament, both these letters stated that he had lodged goods and treasure to the value of ?100,000 on a certain Island and that he would be happy to show his captors the location of this treasure in return for his freedom.
Unfortunately for Kidd the Molgul or Sultan of India was incensed by The depredation of his shipping by the English pirates especially the loss of his daughter aboard the Gang I Swa, taken by Avery.
The Mogul had threatened that he would kick the English out of India, so Kidds fate was sealed and he became the "Patsy" so to speak and had to die to appease the Mogul. Consequently he was found guilty his letters ignored and he was hung at Tilbury Point on the Thames.
Meanwhile Lord Bellomont had sent men far and wide searching for Kidds Loot.
Some Chests were dug up from the Orchard on Gardiners Island and returned to England where the contents were Auctioned.
The proceeds from this auction were used to build Greenwich Hospital, whish later became Greenwich Observatory, the irony of this is that Greenwich observatory is the Zero Datum point of Latitude for all shipping throught the world today.
I have been a little simplistic with the details, as I understand you are basically interested in Kidds Treasure, as for the Quedagh Merchant I believe she lay in some river bed on Hispaniola, looted and scuttled by Kidds crew?
As for Henry/Long Ben Avery and the Moguls treasure, well that Treasure was worth?500,000 and included a Jewel encrusted Saddle, a present from the Shah to the Mogul, what happened to IT? Well thats another Story.
Regards and best Wishes.
Crowsnest.
P.S.
An East india clerk was paid ?5 per annum in 1696/8 when Kidd took his Treasure, Today a clerk would earn Approx. ?10,000 per Annum, an increase of Approx 2000%.
?100,000 multiplied by 2000% =?200,000,000.
Happy Hunting.
Crowsnest.
