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US treasure hunters ready to snatch gold from the jaws of Victory
The Telegraph ^ | Jan 5, 2013 | Victoria Ward

Posted on 01/05/2013 9:26:51 AM PST by KeyLargo

US treasure hunters ready to snatch gold from the jaws of Victory

US treasure hunters should be banned from raising the wreck of one of Britain’s greatest warships and taking some of the millions of pounds of gold coins she is believed to contain, leading archaeologists and descendants of the crew demand today.

By Victoria Ward

8:00AM GMT 05 Jan 2013

They said that allowing HMS Victory, predecessor to Nelson’s flagship, to be exploited for commercial gain would be a “flagrant breach” of the military covenant and an “appalling betrayal” of more than 1,000 Royal Navy sailors who died.

The wreck was discovered by the US company Odyssey Marine Exploration in 2008, 264 years after it sank in a storm off the Channel Islands. Experts believe it may contain gold worth hundreds of millions of pounds as well as 100 bronze cannon.

The Ministry of Defence concluded that recovery could go ahead under the auspices of a charity. Lord Lingfield, formerly Sir Robert Balchin , a descendant of Admiral Sir John Balchen , the ship’s commander, founded the Maritime Heritage Foundation for the purpose.

The foundation has submitted its plans to the MoD and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and signed a contract with Odyssey which would give the Florida-based firm 80 per cent of the value of coins and bullion recovered and 50 per cent of the value of cultural

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events; US: Florida; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: britain; florida; godsgravesglyphs; gold; history; unitedkingdom; warship
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I have a message for the brits:

We won!


1 posted on 01/05/2013 9:26:57 AM PST by KeyLargo
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To: KeyLargo

Finders keepers. Those that could would. Go suck a lemon.


2 posted on 01/05/2013 9:44:53 AM PST by TexasRepublic (Socialism is the gospel of envy and the religion of thieves)
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To: TexasRepublic

My philosophy is that when the ship sinks, you lose ownership of the property. The sea owns that stuff now, and anyone who can wrestle something out of the sea’s grip becomes the new owner.


3 posted on 01/05/2013 10:13:43 AM PST by Boogieman
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To: KeyLargo

The Channel Islands are in British territory.


4 posted on 01/05/2013 10:15:44 AM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: KeyLargo

The Channel Islands are in British territory.


5 posted on 01/05/2013 10:20:15 AM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: KeyLargo

If the Victory was of such importance to the Brits,why didn’t they attempt to recover her before Odysey?Pretty superficial.Florida has used the same mo-let others find significant wrecks,then declare them “archaelogical sites”.


6 posted on 01/05/2013 10:21:31 AM PST by Thombo2
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To: KeyLargo

Blah, Blah, Blah. Follow the money.


7 posted on 01/05/2013 10:27:39 AM PST by Venturer
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8 posted on 01/05/2013 10:43:23 AM PST by RedMDer (Those that believe in gun free zones should put GUN FREE ZONE on their property and persons.)
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To: Thombo2

the 20% cut of the bullion and the 50% cut of the cultural artifacts certainly beats the 100% share of nothing which would other wise be their share without Odyssey’s expertise.


9 posted on 01/05/2013 11:02:20 AM PST by RitchieAprile (the obstreperous gentleman..)
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To: TexasRepublic; KeyLargo

This is a British ship which sunk in the English Channel.

You honestly telling me no Americans would have a problem with a UK company raising the wreck of a famous American ship which lay right off the coast of the United States and keeping most of the loot?. Yeah right.


10 posted on 01/05/2013 11:11:47 AM PST by the scotsman (i)
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To: KeyLargo

The whole frickin’ world is looking for a handout.

And it’s always based on guilt since the beggars have no right to thhe goodies they demand.


11 posted on 01/05/2013 11:13:01 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (....Let It Burn....)
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To: KeyLargo

The whole frickin’ world is looking for a handout.

And it’s always based on guilt since the beggars have no right to thhe goodies they demand.


12 posted on 01/05/2013 11:13:01 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (....Let It Burn....)
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To: KeyLargo

Finders keepers!

Ain’t it great that history (and great wealth) is being recovered rather than lost to the sea?


13 posted on 01/05/2013 11:30:45 AM PST by AtlasStalled
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To: the scotsman

“This is a British ship which sunk in the English Channel.

You honestly telling me no Americans would have a problem with a UK company raising the wreck of a famous American ship which lay right off the coast of the United States and keeping most of the loot?. Yeah right.”

Why not? The President has permitted China and Brazil drilling for oil off of U.S. Gulf Coast.

Your King George stole our best pine trees from Maine to be appropriated for his ship masts. What is the difference?


14 posted on 01/05/2013 12:23:29 PM PST by KeyLargo
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To: the scotsman

If Brits are so concerned about the damn ship, why didn’t they salvage it?


15 posted on 01/05/2013 1:06:44 PM PST by ozzymandus
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To: the scotsman
You honestly telling me no Americans would have a problem with a UK company raising the wreck of a famous American ship which lay right off the coast of the United States and keeping most of the loot?

I wouldn't say that because I'm sure there's a ton of govt. lawyers just waiting for the British to find something..........But as for my personal opinion. if they find it, they should be able to keep it.....

16 posted on 01/05/2013 1:20:13 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Jab her with a harpoon.....)
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To: the scotsman
You honestly telling me no Americans would have a problem with a UK company raising the wreck of a famous American ship which lay right off the coast of the United States and keeping most of the loot?

I wouldn't say that because I'm sure there's a ton of govt. lawyers just waiting for the British to find something..........But as for my personal opinion. if they find it, they should be able to keep it.....

17 posted on 01/05/2013 1:31:41 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Jab her with a harpoon.....)
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To: Hot Tabasco
But as for my personal opinion. if they find it, they should be able to keep it.

Tell that to Mel Fisher.

18 posted on 01/05/2013 1:35:48 PM PST by Scoutmaster (You knew the job was dangerous when you took it)
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To: the scotsman
There must be something worth salvaging from the wreck of the USS Arizona
19 posted on 01/05/2013 2:16:55 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (I think, therefore I am what I yam, and that's all I yam - Rene "Popeye" Descartes)
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To: Oztrich Boy
There must be something worth salvaging from the wreck of the USS Arizona

It's already been discovered and claimed........nice try tho

20 posted on 01/05/2013 2:30:51 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Jab her with a harpoon.....)
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