Thanks again Jeff. Love these posts
Its is another example on how journalist take the story totally out of context. There was no war between British and America treasure hunters.
Harold S Gray of Rose Marine was English and joined forces with August Gissler and was searching Wafer Bay. Gissler had the concession with Costa Rican Government at the time. He had came there with dubious information from a man called Bob Fowler.
William Charles de Meuron Wentworth-Fitzwilliam below was very rich aristocrat who had the typical arrogance and ignorance at the time.
He was so wealthy his wealth was worth 3 billion in 1900 values in several times richer than any treasure on Cocos. Bought the ship Harlech castle remained veronique and publicly claimed he was sailing the south seas but chose to search Cocos island illegally. They landed on the island the same time but chose to search Chatham bay.
In typical reckless aristocratic impatience he decided to blow up the cliff to blast himself to booty. However miss timed fuse brought a landslide down of party injuring eight. One of the party later died from their injuries and so ended their rather reckless treasure hunt.
Fitzwilliam went back to England injured and somewhat shaken by his experience and faced a political storm in England as it created the second diplomatic incident in 5 years with Costa Rica.
There was not fight between either party although resent each others presence on the island.
I have seen Fitzwilliam private papers. They had nothing more of value than all the wildcat expeditions of time.
The only thing he succeeded in doing was more damage of potential landmarks on Chatham bay. Just like admiral Paliser a few years earlier who blew up the beach of wafer bay.
Kanacki
