Posted on 12/23/2018 4:09:27 PM PST by csvset
When Spanish civil servants got wind that someone was sweeping up the priceless treasure of a 200-year-old frigate from the ocean floor, it triggered a real-life escapade full of naval pursuits and secret airlifts - like something from a comic book adventure.
And that is what it has now become, after one of those suit-and-tie sleuths convinced Spain's best-known graphic novelist that together they should tell the tale of the modern-day treasure hunt.
In 1804, a British fleet opened fire on the Spanish ship Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, causing the death of 250 people of the 300 on board – and the loss of half a million silver and gold coins.
That incident became known as Battle of Cape Santa Maria and led to Spain declaring war on Britain. Within a year came the Battle of Trafalgar and the defeat of the Spanish and French fleet.
How a sea battle became a court battle
Two centuries later, US firm Odyssey Marine Exploration announced it had made the largest discovery of underwater treasure in history - but would not reveal the name or location of the shipwreck.
The deep-ocean exploration company used robotic rovers to suck 17 tons of treasure from the seabed – before spiriting it away to Florida on a secret flight out of Gibraltar under the Spanish authorities' noses in 2007.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
GGG Sunken Treasure.
The people who did all the work to find and recover the treasure get nothing.
They should have taken it to Switzerland or the Grand Caymans where a small percentage as a “fee” would have protected their claim.
Or had a sister expedition somewhere else to “make the find” under a friendlier jurisdiction.
In any case, I believe I’ve read somewhere that for actual men of war, rather than nominally commercial vessels, the rules about ownership of what’s on board can be different.
Spain did not care enough about it to go find it but once someone else found it and brought it up it became "priceless historical treasure".
IMHO, (never to be confused with that of anyone who matters) if you have not been actively looking for it in the past decade it is abandon property and belongs to who ever finds it.
Thanks csvset.
“Admiralty Law”, naval ships are owned in perpetuity by the country under which they sailed.
Seek,search,shut up.
Except when naval ships, and their Captains, are carrying private freight for which they are paid for the service. Most of this treasure was not Spanish Royal Treasure, but was private treasure owned by Spanish entrepreneurs and officials. This treasure was subject to seizure by salvors, but the lazy American judges who couldn't be bothered to research 19th Century Admiralty law made an incorrect judgment.
Unless they’re captured in battle, and then they become prizes of war.
During much of the Napoleonic Wars, Britain got almost half of her Royal Navy tonnage from captured French and other combatant vessels.
The attack was executed by the Royal Navy anticipating a Declaration of War between Britain and Spain. However, the attack occurred before war had begun. This vessel was not a prize of war, and the British crew did not get their prize shares.
Thanks for that!
I love history and interesting facts like yours.
But IMHO the rule that naval ships belong to their sovereign in perpetuity is a good one. It means salvors can never dive on the ships in Ironbottom Sound.
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