Compared with this, the recovery of the treasure from the _Oceana_, when she was sunk in the Channel in 1912 as the result of a collision, was a comparatively simple matter, yet it was not without its difficulties. The _Oceana_ went down in 90 feet of water and only her masts peeped above the surface when the salvors arrived on the spot. Plans of the ship were obtained from the owners and carefully studied so that once the divers got aboard they would know exactly which way to go. It is difficult enough for the average man to find his way about a strange liner when she is afloat, so it can be imagined how difficult it must be for a diver to wander about such a vessel when she is 90 feet under water. All the time he is adventuring through the saloons and other compartments, he is running continual danger of his air-pipe catching on something and tying him up. He may lose himself. Doors may slam to with the current and imprison him while cutting off his air supply. The men manning the air-pumps will quickly find out that something is wrong, but by the time assistance is sent the imprisoned diver may easily be in a sorry state. The ordinary difficulties were intensified in the case of the _Oceana_ by the strong currents racing down the Channel. So strong were they that even in favourable weather it was only possible for the divers to work for one hour a day when the tide was at its lowest. To make matters worse, there was so much sand in suspension that the divers could see nothing at all. The electric lamps which it was hoped would help them were quite useless. The divers were like blind men, groping in the dark, feeling their way about the ship and working by touch alone. They blasted their way through two decks and, stumbling along a passage, found the strong room. Ingot by ingot, they took out the treasure and sent it to the surface, where each bar was carefully checked and marked off in the records as it was recovered. If only all the treasure had been carried in the strong room, the game of blind man’s buff on the part of the divers would have been at an end. But a good deal of the silver was stowed in the after hold, and before the divers could get at it they had to force their way through three decks. Ultimately all the treasure, to the value of £700,000, that went down in the _Oceana_ was recovered and the treasure-hunters sailed away in triumph with their spoil. [Illustration: THE WRECK OF THE OCEANA WHICH SANK IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL AS THE RESULT OF A COLLISION. SHE HAD TREASURE ABOARD WORTH £700,000]