THE HOUTiMAn's AUROLHOS. 181
reals, lianded over by the Directors of the Chamber, Middcl- burg, in Zeeland, to the officers of this ship, for the pur- chase of fresh provisions, which also was saved. Moreover various sums in silver ducats, as specified in the memorial, a copy of which is subjoined, were found upon the crew. On that same day, namely, the oOth April, the advocat-fiscal was instructed to report to the government as to whether an action could be brought by it against the pretended owners, who had fetched that money out of the wreck, the fact of their having it in their possession being in our opinion a violation of the law, which forbids the export of coined money to private persons. His answer is to be found in a copy subjoined. But afterwards he was obliged, as a matter of official duty, to put the law in force, and an indictment was accordingly issued against the claimants before the Council of Justice, whose decision is still pending. We are nevertheless at the same time of opinion that salvage ought to be allowed to the men who, at no inconsiderable danger to themselves, brought the money from the wreck. The jour- nals kept on the voyage, as far as they w^ere saved and brought over, were, in accordance with the resolution of the 30th of April, handed over to the Equipagemeester, Coenrad Mels, and a committee of skippers, under the presidency of the above-mentioned fiscal, as it appeared to us rather doubtful whether the ship had not been wrecked in an inexcusable manner. And, indeed, it was subsequently proved by the report of the committee, that the former skipper, Jan Steyns, had not only run too near the Southland, contrary to his orders, and in opposition to the protests of the steersmen, and thereby caused that disaster ; but had also contemplated deceiving the government by altered and falsified journals, in order to hide as much as possible his indefensible con- duct. Whereupon, on the 17th of August, it was deter- mined to indict the said Jan Steyns before the Court of Justice, and he has since been placed under arrest.^ 1 These papers have not been sent over.
