En esta noticia
Mexico is the world’s largest producer of silver, ahead of countries such as China, Peru, Russia and the United States. That is nothing new, since its history has been marked by the extraction of precious metals such as gold and silver. This prized raw material was mined for centuries and transported aboard interoceanic ships.
That brings us to the famous English galleon Merchant Royal, also known as “El Dorado de los mares,” one of the most imposing ships of the 17th century and now lying as a wreck in the deep waters near the port of Cornwall, England. But it is not alone: resting with it is a treasure recognized by the Mexican government itself, made up of gold ingots, bars of Mexican silver and jewelry.
“A treasure of 100,000 gold ingots, 400 bars of Mexican silver and half a million pieces of jewelry. Its value is estimated at $530 million,” a CONAGUA article says.
The tragic end of the giant ship “El Dorado of the Seas”
This powerful ship, which seemed invincible, sank on Sept. 23, 1641, near the coast of the port known as Cornwall in England. Conagua describes it as one of the finest merchant ships of the 17th century.
Its tragic and unexpected end came in the form of a powerful storm that sent it to the bottom along with its cargo and treasure as it headed to Cádiz, Spain. The wreck left 18 men dead and another 40 men and their captain, Limbrey, alive and stranded after leaving the ship in lifeboats.
The Merchant Royal had spent years taking a beating in the West Indies: severe cracks in the hull, critical leaks since Cádiz and the nonstop failure of its mechanical bilge pumps. All of that, along with the fury of the sea and the storm, sealed the fate of the “El Dorado de los mares.”
Part of the treasure from the “El Dorado of the Seas” wreck was found
The Mexican government adds that nearly 20 years ago, an expedition to the sea floor managed to find part of the Merchant Royal’s treasure. There they found some 500 gold and silver coins in the wreck.
This discovery led to a dispute between Spain and England, since history did not make clear who owned the English galleon’s cargo. According to historical accounts, after a fire on a Spanish ship assigned to carry the cargo, the captain of the Royal Merchant would have offered to transport it in exchange for payment.
The galleon “El Dorado de los mares” was considered one of the most powerful ships in history and, in turn, the treasure it carried made it one of the most valuable and significant shipwrecks.