SS ANCONA - image source based on the photograph found at the American Family Immigration History Center.
It is currently believed that the Black Swan site, the 17 ton treasure discovered in May of 2007, is that of the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes (see previous post).
On Sept. 13, 2006, Odyssey filed an arrest to a site many believe is that of the Merchant Royal. Wikipedia states: "The Merchant Royal was a 17th century English merchant ship lost at sea off Land's End, Cornwall in rough weather on 23 September 1641. On board were at least 100,000 pounds of gold (nearly one billion USD in today's money), 400 bars of Mexican silver (another 1 million) and nearly 500,000 pieces of eight and other coins, making it one of the most valuable wrecks of all times."
On April 9, 2007 Odyssey Marine also filed an arrest for a third site. This site is almost certainly the Ancona, a passenger ship that was sunk in 1915 by a German u-boat in the Mediterranean. Supposedly the ship's manifest stated that the Anconda was carrying "12 barrels of gold and a shipment of silver bars". It's hard to determine just how much gold this is but a conservative guess is no less than $20Mil in today's value.
Assuming these sites turn out to be the Mercedes, the Merchant Royal, and Ancona, and Odyssey obtains the arrests that they seek, then Odyssey Marine will be hauling up large quantities of treasure for some time. Odyssey will also be assured of being the leader in the treasure hunting business if the current political battle is worked out with Spain concerning the Black Swan and the HMS Sussex, with it's purported billions in gold on board.
The SS Ancona was operated by "Italia" Società Anonima di Navigazione between Genoa, Naples, Palermo, New York and Philadelphia from 1908-1915. 8,885 ton steamship. Dimensions in feet (between perpendiculars): 482 x 58. One funnel, two masts; twin screw; triple-expansion engines with 6-cyclinders; service speed of 14 knots [16.1 miles per hour]. Shipbuilder: Workman, Clark & Co. Ltd., Belfast. Launched 19 November 1907. Maiden Voyage 23 April 1908 Genoa-Naples-Palermo-New York-Philadelphia. Sunk by an Austrian submarine in the Mediterranean on 7 November 1915 during World War One [Italy and Austria-Hungary were at war from 23 May 1915 until 4 November 1918].
The funnels of the ships of the Italia steamship line were yellow. Their rectangular flag was a "blue cross with white border; blue upper quarter at hoist with red "I" in a white six-pointed star; otherwise quarters yellow".
Source: North Atlantic Seaway: an illustrated history of the passenger services linking the old world with the new by N.R.P. Bonsor (Prescot, Lancashire: 1955), pages 469-471.
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from website of http://www.treasurelore.com
SS ANCONA - The SS Ancona, a popular Italian-American liner, which had been making frequent trips between Naples and New York since it had been launched from Glasgow in 1908. Beginning in 1915, German U-boats were lurking in the Mediterranean with the intention of attacking allied war ships transporting troops and munitions to the European front. However, according to ship manifests, when the Ancona left Naples on Saturday November 6, 1915, to make a brief stop at Messina, Sicily, she was carrying no guns or munitions. On board were mostly women and children immigrants along with 83 first class passengers, 12 barrels of gold sovereigns, and a shipment of silver bars.
At 1:00 p. m. off the coast of Cape Carbonara, Sardinia, Captain Massardo spotted two white turrets and four guns from which flew a German flag, which was lowered and quickly replaced by an Austrian flag. Sensing danger, the captain ordered the ship full steam ahead. What happened next depends upon who was telling the story. In testimony given by the captain, the submarine fired a warning shot, at which point the captain immediately stopped his vessel. In spite of his compliance, the U-boat expelled two shots striking the Ancona both forward and aft. As the Ancona radioed for help, an explosion resulted causing the liner to begin to sink rapidly before any life boats could be lowered. Later, German authorities would claim that the reason why the submarine attacked was precisely because the Ancona refused to stop.