Scotsman Archive

NAVAL VESSELS LEAVE MULL, 12 May, 1950

Naval divers having completed their task in locating the Tobermory galleon, the two RX motor launches engaged in the search left Tobermory Bay yesterday for Oban. Before the craft set out, Lieut-Commander Reay Parkinson said: "There's no doubt at all – we have located a galleon. What specific galleon it is, however, I would not care to say. It is up to the salvage experts to find this out when they start their operations. We are definite that it was one of the ships of the Spanish Armada." He will prepare a report on the operation, which will enable the Duke of Argyll to decide how best to salvage the wreck. More than 2,000 tons of silt in which the hulk is embedded 30ft deep will have to be removed. The easiest method would appear to be by a new type of suction dredger.

Lieut-Commander Parkinson said that when the silt is cleared the walls of the cavity will be firm. The wreck is about 150ft long and from 30ft to 40ft wide.

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