bring the same to him, they shou'd have forty shillings p Wedge, and no Questions asked, otherwise, in case they were found Guilty, they wou'd be severely punished. Several of these Silver Wedges had been delivered to Mr. Whitfield, but am afraid he will never be able to get the whole, as a Great many of these fellows carry such Vile principles, for had not Several of these Creatures offered the Silver for Sale, I Question whether this Affair wou'd have been discovered."
22nd February, 1748, Mr. Thorpe (Mayor of Hastings) to Mr. Collier, at Bath. "I doubt not but you have had successive accounts of the Dutch Ship run ashore near Bulverhith, since which the care of the Sick Dutchmen, the plague of quartering Soldiers, their and others theiving, has engrossed my whole time. This happening so soon after the Nympha, has destroyed the Morals and Honesty of too many of our Country men, for- the very people hired to save did little else but steal. The Hoo Smugglers came in a Body, and Carried off Velvett, Cloth, etc., but on Warrents being issued, they submit to deliver all again. One of them stopped a waggon, and called others to his assistance to rob it. I committed him to Gaol, and have since gott Mr. Nicholl to take the Examinations again, and he has made his Mittimus for Horsham. The Treasure of the Ship, amounting to near thirty thousand pound value, being sent to London has eased us of a Company cf Foot, who were the greatest Theives I ever knew, they not only robbed at the Ship, but their Quarters also. The Dutch Soldiers & Sailors robbed their Officers, as did too many of our own Town. There was a Chest containing fifty Wedges of Silver, each weighing about four pounds & a half, broke open the first night, but by one means or other we have recovered thirty six, and a Gold Watch, but very little of the Gold and Silver Lace and wearing apparel. There are some Cables & Anchors, some Provisions, such as Butter, Bacon, Beef, etc., saved, also several Chest of Wine in Bottles, of which there is in the Ship a great many Thousand Dozens. The Ship is so Swerved in the Sand, that at High Water, the Sea covers her and at low her lower Deck is under Water. They have endeavoured to blow up her Decks with Gunpowder, sometimes succeeding, others not, the Powder being obliged to be putt under Water, but this Morning they blew up great part of the lower Deck, and its thought the composition next the Match being too dry, fired so quick, that Mr. Nutt the Engineer, perished. P.S. The wine is French if you would have any, please let me know, I fancy about 1 shilling a bottle will be the price."
There has been many attempts to salvage the valuable cargo from the Amsterdam. In 1 810, when the German Legion was stationed at Bexhill, Colonel Halket permitted two companies to dig in the hold, but the water soaked in so fast through the sand they were obliged to abandon it.
In February, 1827, some poor people from Bexhill cleared out a large portion of the sand, and found various glass tumblers, metal -
