A highly significant achievement of Poompuhar underwater exploration is the discovery of a large shipwreck which carried a huge quantity of lead ingots dated 1791 and 1792 A.D. and inscribed W. BLACKETT which must be name of the company manufacturing or dealing in lead ingots. Two of them bear the symbols of a crown below which is the letter `D'. This symbol of crown over 'D' is engraved on the coins issued by the Dutch in India.
The further exploration was carried out at shipwreck in 1997. Extensive airlift operation suggest that ship is wooden hulled. The surface wooden planks are badly damaged due to wood borers but lower planks are in better condition. The ship seems to have belonged to the Dutch rulers in India and might have sunk during a war against the French in 1792-1993 as suggested by a few local people. But it seems that Denmark and Holland never produced lead, so one has to see the origin of lead in other western countries. Because in 17th century to 19th century England was the largest exporter of lead in the east.
