Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: george76

The cannon are actually bronze, brass cannon of this size were not used by the Royal Navy.

As a Royal Naval vessel, the UK can claim soverign immunity from arrest as salvage. That immunity would probably even apply to the reported commercial cargo, gold coin owned by Portuguese merchants. However, Odyssey Marine, the salvors already have an agreement in place with the UK to salvage an earlier shipwreck, HMS Sussex, and therefore probably have reached a similar agreement with the UK on this wreck.

Using government vessels to carry commercial cargo was not uncommon in this period, especially precious metals and jewels. Shipping in a warship was considerably safer than using commercial shipping, and the Captain was entitled to freight - payment for carrying the cargo. Many Captains were only to happy to agree to the shipments.

900 sailors were aboard when Victory went down, so there will undoubtedly be controversy over the disturbance of a war grave. However, hundreds were also lost when the Mary Rose capsized in the Solent. This did not deter the efforts to raise her, and remains were found when the vessel was excavated. I would expect that Victory is much less likely to contain remains - a deep sea shipwreck would have much less sediment that might preserve any organic material.


8 posted on 02/01/2009 9:58:14 AM PST by centurion316
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies ]


To: centurion316; Fred Nerks

The HMS Victory was returning from Lisbon, Portugal, and was probably transporting 100,000 gold Portuguese coins for merchants... The ship had sailed there to help rescue a Mediterranean convoy blockaded by the French in the River Tagus at Lisbon.


14 posted on 02/01/2009 10:13:34 AM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies ]

To: centurion316

May I suggest to get a better understanding, you all look at the following site about HMS Victory 1744

https://sites.google.com/site/adsirjohnbalchendescendant/


21 posted on 01/24/2013 3:38:38 PM PST by admiral balchen (Descendants of crew of HMS Victory)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson