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Diving for Treasure
This book reads like a detective story and actually embodies one of the great historical finds of tour century. Clay Blair, amateur skin diver, and Robert Marx, one of America's best-known divers, located in the coral seas off the coast of Yucatan in Mexico the wreck of a ship they soon decided must have lain there for centuries. As find after find of coral-encrusted relics came to the surface from the sea bottom they realized they had made of of the richest discoveries, in its historical implication, that has yet been made by underwater explorers.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
3 people want to read
About the author
Clay Blair Jr.
37 books18 followersClay Blair, Jr. was an American historian, best known for his books on military history. Born in Lexington, Virginia, he served on the fleet submarine Guardfish (SS-217) in World War II and later wrote for Time and Life magazines before becoming editor-in-chief of The Saturday Evening Post. He assisted General Omar Bradley in the writing of his autobiography, A General's Life (1983), published after the general's death. Blair wrote two dozen history books and hundreds of magazine articles that reached a popular audience. His last book was Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942–1945 (1998), which followed Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters, 1939–1942 (1996).
Blair's history of the Korean War The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 (1987) is considered one of the definitive historical works on the war. His work was notable for his criticism of senior American political and military leaders. Blair criticizes President Harry S. Truman and his Secretary of Defense, Louis A. Johnson, for failing to maintain the military's readiness in the years immediately following World War II. His history, while comprehensive, primarily employs a top-down perspective, with less emphasis on individual soldiers than on larger operational issues and the perspectives of general and field-grade officers. He has also been criticized by some historians for not making sufficient use of Communist sources.
Blair also wrote extensively on the submarine war of World War II, notably in the bestselling Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan (1975), considered the definitive work on the Pacific submarine war.
Blair was married for many years to Joan Blair, who co-wrote some of his books. Prior to that marriage he was married to Agnes Kemp Devereux Blair, with whom he had seven children: Marie Louise, Clay III, Sibyl, Joseph (deceased), Kemp, Robert and Christopher.
- Wikipedia
Blair's history of the Korean War The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 (1987) is considered one of the definitive historical works on the war. His work was notable for his criticism of senior American political and military leaders. Blair criticizes President Harry S. Truman and his Secretary of Defense, Louis A. Johnson, for failing to maintain the military's readiness in the years immediately following World War II. His history, while comprehensive, primarily employs a top-down perspective, with less emphasis on individual soldiers than on larger operational issues and the perspectives of general and field-grade officers. He has also been criticized by some historians for not making sufficient use of Communist sources.
Blair also wrote extensively on the submarine war of World War II, notably in the bestselling Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan (1975), considered the definitive work on the Pacific submarine war.
Blair was married for many years to Joan Blair, who co-wrote some of his books. Prior to that marriage he was married to Agnes Kemp Devereux Blair, with whom he had seven children: Marie Louise, Clay III, Sibyl, Joseph (deceased), Kemp, Robert and Christopher.
- Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 21, 2022
Clay Blair gives a very detailed summary of the discovery and extraction of artifacts from a shipwreck discovered off the Yucatan Peninsular in Mexico.
Initially Blair, Bob Marx and another friend dive on the wreck, finding a significant number of small artifacts (none deemed particularly valuable) and determine that the wreck has never been salvaged /plundered / searched before.
Various discoveries lead them to believe the ship is a wealthy English merchant ship from approximately 1740. This is an evidence based assessment, with some additional speculation and assumption in the mix.
Arrested suddenly, and then proven to have broken no laws, they are nonetheless still not permitted to return to the wreck and continue work, as a political situation arises where events take on a life of their own, and the general public believes they are recovering treasure and not paying their (50%) tax. This is rumour only, and falls in line with historic stories of buried treasure at the adjacent stretch of beach.
Eventually, politics take over and the only way to obtain a government permit (suddenly required, due to a law or interpretation of law) was to partner with a well known Mexican dive / salvage operator - who would get preference over an American team. In the end this was satisfactory, and neither party sought to cheat or hide salvage from each other.
The second half of the book is the eventually discovered evidence found in historical archives, and the extensive research carried out to finally identify the ship, her origins, her owners, her route and the details of her demise. Suffice it to say that this was not an English ship, and that assumption had thrown them off the trail. I won't spoil the outcome for other readers.
This was a well organised, thorough and spirited book. It contained a great deal of detail about the methods and techniques (both of diving and researching) and offers up lots of process for other treasure hunters to follow - generously and in an unguarded manner. It clearly provided all of its evidence and is an interesting and informative read.
4 stars
Initially Blair, Bob Marx and another friend dive on the wreck, finding a significant number of small artifacts (none deemed particularly valuable) and determine that the wreck has never been salvaged /plundered / searched before.
Various discoveries lead them to believe the ship is a wealthy English merchant ship from approximately 1740. This is an evidence based assessment, with some additional speculation and assumption in the mix.
Arrested suddenly, and then proven to have broken no laws, they are nonetheless still not permitted to return to the wreck and continue work, as a political situation arises where events take on a life of their own, and the general public believes they are recovering treasure and not paying their (50%) tax. This is rumour only, and falls in line with historic stories of buried treasure at the adjacent stretch of beach.
Eventually, politics take over and the only way to obtain a government permit (suddenly required, due to a law or interpretation of law) was to partner with a well known Mexican dive / salvage operator - who would get preference over an American team. In the end this was satisfactory, and neither party sought to cheat or hide salvage from each other.
The second half of the book is the eventually discovered evidence found in historical archives, and the extensive research carried out to finally identify the ship, her origins, her owners, her route and the details of her demise. Suffice it to say that this was not an English ship, and that assumption had thrown them off the trail. I won't spoil the outcome for other readers.
This was a well organised, thorough and spirited book. It contained a great deal of detail about the methods and techniques (both of diving and researching) and offers up lots of process for other treasure hunters to follow - generously and in an unguarded manner. It clearly provided all of its evidence and is an interesting and informative read.
4 stars
Displaying 1 of 1 review