Beneath the clear waters of the Philippines lie vast treasures from at least 15 Manila Galleons yet to be discovered. During World War II, Yamashita Treasure was meant to be deliberately sunk in Japanese ships, with the intention of recovery after the War. Read this book to find out more. This book is issued with a word of warning. There are grave an unexpected dangers associated with treasure hunting in the Philippines. This is an easy to read history book, well researched and full of information that you will not find in anywhere else.

During the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, the transpacific treasure galleons sailed annually from Manila to Acapulco. In Manila, the vessel was loaded with the scented spices of the East, luxurious silks from China, exquisite hand crafted lacquerware from Japan and a multitude of Oriental goods that the Spaniards of New Spain longed to own. The returning galleon from Acapulco to Manila, carried as much as 2.5 million silver pesos in payment of the goods sent to the New Spain in the previous year, as well as a yearly silver subsidy of 250,000 reales for the maintenance of the colonial government in the Philippines. But while the galleons mainly sailed alone and unaccompanied from Manila to Acapulco and vice versa, they were vulnerable to a host of calamities and misfortunes. A fire on board the vessel or a terrifying storm could end the voyage and the lives of every one on the ship even before the galleon was able to reach land. Additionally, the commanders of the galleons were always threatened by lurking pirates and privateers who preyed on the vessels and coveted the treasures they carried. The book describes in detail how the galleons were attacked at sea and how they fought against enemy vessels, as well as how many of the ships sank or were shipwrecked over the years. It also covers their management, construction, manning, weaponry, navigation, daily life on the ship, provisions, cargoes and voyages. The book contains an annotated list of the galleons sailing between the Philippines and Mexico from 1565 to 1815. This informative book is the first of its kind to cover such an expansive history of the Pacific galleons which up to this point had remained largely untold.

The Hillsborough River, which runs through the big population area of Tampa, is a popular site for leisure activities. Kevin McCarthy, author of more than 20 books about Florida, guides the reader and boater from the source of the Hillsborough River in the Green Swamp west of Tampa, through Hillsborough River State Park, then through the city of Tampa, to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. Both a history and a guidebook, "Hillsborough River Guidebook" features information on the wildlife and culture along the river as well as travel tips, with recommendations of places to eat and stay. Includes photographs and maps. The other books available in the series are "Suwannee River Guidebook" and "St. Johns River Guidebook."

An illustrated study of the flora and fauna of the Philippine rain forest which explains its origins as well as the reasons that its imminent destruction threatens the economic and social well-being of the Philippine nation.

The author uses his inquisitive mind to set out and prove the existence of Yamashita's infamous untouched treasure deposits buried all around the Philippine Islands. Working alongside Filipino treasure hunters the author has visited untouched treasure sites in Luzon, Cebu, Davao, General Santos and Glan in Mindanao. It has taken Aquila Chrysaestos over six years to successfully document many original Japanese treasure code books, and treasure maps, for you the reader. Aquila has answered many of the questions that he had while puzzling out the precise way in which the Japanese Imperial family members went about burying the wealth of fourteen South East Asian countries, on land and at sea throughout the islands during 1942 to 1945 when the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the Philippine islands. Using his practical skills and a logical approach to solving many of his unanswered questions, the author has compiled a very comprehensive step by step "how to" book that will aid you the treasure hunter wanting answers to your own Philippine treasure quest. This book is packed with: 19 sections including the quick reference guide A to Z of treasure signs and symbols 100 colour drawings, by the author himself many drawn from unknown treasure sites 150 colour photographs of carved treasure symbols, maps and recovered gold 30 black and white WWII photographs 40 black and white diagrams This brilliant gem of a book takes you through every process of planning our own treasure hunt. The equipment you will need, the treasure permits, where to look and how to recover your own piece of war treasure safely, and so much more! Buy this book now and go and live your dream of becoming a successful treasure hunter today! Absolutely fantastic! A real mine of information for the seeker of Japanese war gold buried in the Philippines. In over 400 fact-filled pages, Aquila has cracked the Japanese treasure code and, with up to the minute locating and recovery techniques, paved the way for bringing this vast wealth to the surface. An incredible story and a great read for the armchair treasure hunter too! David Villanueva, treasure hunter and author, Whitstable, UK

In 1945, US intelligence officers in Manila discovered that the Japanese had hidden large quantities of gold bullion and other looted treasure in the Philippines. President Truman decided to recover the gold but to keep its riches secret. These, combined with Japanese treasure recovered during the US occupation, and with recovered Nazi loot, would create a worldwide American political action fund to fight communism. This 'Black Gold' gave Washington virtually limitless, unaccountable funds, providing an asset base to reinforce the treasuries of America's allies, to bribe political and military leaders, and to manipulate elections in foreign countries for more than fifty years.

This groundbreaking book presents the first full history of the Manila galleons, which marked the true beginning of a global economy. Arturo Giraldez, the world’s leading scholar of the galleons, traces the rise of the maritime route, which began with the founding of the city of Manila in 1571 and ended in 1815 when the last galleon left the port of Acapulco in New Spain (Mexico) for the Philippines, establishing a permanent connection between the Spanish empire in America with Asian countries, most importantly China, the main supplier of commodities during that era. Throughout the two-and-a-half-century history of the Manila galleons, the strategic commodity fuelling global networks was always silver. Giraldez shows how this most important of precious metals shaped world history, with influences that stretch to the present.

The Age of Sail wrought the greatest change to the world in the history of mankind; possibly until the Age of Space Exploration. From 1450 to 1850 the Western world experienced explosive and violent change, most of it brought about by the great sailing ships of the era, and driven by the personal ambition for power and riches in a handful of men and women, who in many cases didn’t have a clue what they were getting into. Today, this exciting era receives just superficial coverage; names, dates and what was accomplished. But, behind these were real people, and digging into their lives can bring up startling facts: Columbus spent much of his life as a pirate. Magellan wasn’t the first to circumvent the globe. Horatio Nelson, England’s greatest naval hero, suffered from violent seasickness. America’s most famous lightkeeper, recognized for saving as many as 32 drowning men over 52 years, was a woman. Women served as crew in the British Navy, and fought alongside their husbands; a two-year-old boy served as a midshipman, and babies were born on Nelson's flagship during both the Battles of Trafalgar and the Nile. The British monarchy financed and provided oversight for the largest slave transport company in history. History can be humorous, surprising, and even shocking, and, it is anything but dull.