Subject: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: Desert Dancer Date: 03 Feb 12 - 10:30 AM Concerning the immediate predecessor to Nelson's Victory (there were 6 Royal Navy ships of that name): Deal May Yield World's Richest Shipwreck Trove: Four years ago, in the depths of the English Channel, explorers found the remains of a legendary British warship that sank in 1744 and lost more than 1,000 men. But intruders disturbed the site, dragging and damaging some of the 44 bronze cannons visible on the sandy bottom and hauling one of them away. The wreck's fate became a topic of public debate in Britain, and not just because of the nation's efforts to preserve its maritime heritage: documents suggested that the warship, the H.M.S. Victory, had carried a secret cargo of gold coins weighing about four tons. If melted down, the gold might be worth $160 million. But if sold for their historic value, the coins might fetch $1 billion. On Wednesday, the discoverers of the wreck said they had signed an agreement in which they would document and recover the artifacts, ending a long period of uncertainty. They praised the accord as an innovative new way for nations to save historic wrecks. "We've come up with the model that everybody's been looking for," said Gregory P. Stemm, head of the discovery team and chief executive of Odyssey Marine Exploration of Tampa, Fla., a publicly traded company that specializes in deep-sea exploration and recovery. Odyssey will recover the warship's remains for the Maritime Heritage Foundation, a British charity that received the title to the wreck from British authorities. Its chairman, Lord Lingfield, the Conservative peer formerly known as Sir Robert Balchin, said teaming up with Odyssey was aimed at preserving an important aspect of British history. "Therefore, we have planned an archaeological survey that will record the site before it deteriorates further," he said. ... more at the link (NY Times article) From Odyssey Marine Exploration's website about the HMS Victory: HMS Victory was a British first-rate man-of-war constructed in Portsmouth Dockyard between 1726 and 1737, under the direction of Master Shipwright Joseph Allin. The fifth and penultimate Royal Navy ship to bear this auspicious name, the Victory was the direct predecessor and inspiration behind Admiral Lord Nelson's iconic flagship built three decades later, bearing similar features and dimensions. When launched, the Victory was considered the mightiest and most technically-advanced warship in the world, built with three elaborately decorated open galleries at the stern and armed with an extraordinary 100 to 110 bronze cannon. Historically, she was the last Royal Navy warship to be lost at sea with a complete complement of bronze guns. --- Glad to hear that it's going forward with respect for the archaeological value. ~ Becky in Tucson currently on her second voyage thru the Aubrey & Maturin series |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: Amos Date: 03 Feb 12 - 11:25 AM Terrific story; I am glad some rational deal was evolved. It makes much more sense than petty squabbles. A |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: Desert Dancer Date: 03 Feb 12 - 12:45 PM The Times articles says, "intruders disturbed the site, dragging and damaging some of the 44 bronze cannons visible on the sandy bottom and hauling one of them away", but I can't find any information on that, other than Odyssey Exploration's description of damage probably incidentally done by fish trawlers. The controversy appears to have been over the high value of the wreck (given the gold) and whether the American company was in it primarily for profit. BBC Feb. 2009 on the discovery BBC on recovery plan BBC on charitable management of the recovery info and video on the discovery, from the Discovery channel ~ Becky in Tucson |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: pdq Date: 03 Feb 12 - 02:21 PM I recently heard of another ship that will be salvaged soon. It was carrying a load of platinum from Russia to the United States to pay for the military help we were giving them. Germans sank it. Salvage value of the platinum at today's prices: 3 billion dollars. |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: GUEST Date: 03 Feb 12 - 02:27 PM The salvage skipper is from Maine, USA. Platinum Ship - BBC February 03, 20 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16874999 (160 tonnes of platinium does sort of dim Dessert Dancer's claim to "World Richest Shipwreck.") |
Subject: ADD: A Ballad of the Good Lord Nelson (Durrell) From: Rapparee Date: 03 Feb 12 - 03:50 PM A Ballad of the Good Lord Nelson by Lawrence Durrell The Good Lord Nelson had a swollen gland, Little of the scripture did he understand Till a woman led him to the promised land Aboard the Victory, Victory O. Adam and Evil and a bushel of figs Meant nothing to Nelson who was keeping pigs, Till a woman showed him the various rigs Aboard the Victory, Victory O. His heart was softer than a new-laid egg, Too poor for loving and ashamed to beg, Till Nelson was taken by the Dancing Leg Aboard the Victory, Victory O. Now he up and did up his little tin trunk And he took to the ocean on his English junk, Turning like the hourglass in his lonely bunk Aboard the Victory, Victory O. The Frenchman saw him a-coming there With the one-piece eye and the valentine hair, With the safety-pin sleeve and the occupied air Aboard the Victory, Victory O. Now you all remember the message he sent As an answer to Hamilton's discontent There were questions asked about in the parliament Aboard the Victory, Victory O. Now the blacker the berry, the thicker the juice. Think of Lord Nelson and avoid self-abuse, For the empty sleeve was no mere excuse Aboard the Victory, Victory O. "England Expects" was the motto he gave When he thought of little Emma out on Biscay's wave, And he remembered working on her like a galley slave Aboard the Victory, Victory O. The first Great Lord in our English land To honour the Freudian command, For a cast in the bush is worth two in the hand Aboard the Victory, Victory O. Now the Frenchman shot him there as he stood In the rage of battle in a silk-lined hood And he heard the whistle of his own hot blood Aboard the Victory, Victory O. Now stiff on a pillar with a phallic air Nelson stylites in Trafalgar Square Reminds the British what once they were Aboard the Victory, Victory O. If they'd treat their women in the Nelson way There'd be fewer frigid husbands ev'ry day And many more heroes on the Bay of Biscay Aboard the Victory, Victory O. |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: Greg B Date: 03 Feb 12 - 04:30 PM Well, the replacement Victory, which was the subject of the above song, held up rather better than its predecessor, didn't it? (When I first saw the thread title, I thought it was some sort of joke--- some fellow sold the salvage rights to the HMS Victory to some optimist who only later discovered that it was alive and well in Portsmouth.) |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: gnu Date: 03 Feb 12 - 04:48 PM Her majesty must be quite pleaed that her coin and artifacts shall be recovered. |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: Desert Dancer Date: 03 Feb 12 - 05:23 PM "Richest" was the Times's claim, as of a couple of days ago, but thatsa lotta platinum, as you say pdq, in today's report. Looks like pure treasure hunting in that case, though. ~ Becky in Tucson |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: Charley Noble Date: 03 Feb 12 - 05:46 PM Always interesting. Never found any treasure myself but I did draft some fine looking treasure maps! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
Subject: RE: BS: HMS Victory shipwreck salvage deal From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 Feb 12 - 01:55 PM I'd have thought this was the kind of thing the Royal Navy ought to be doing - could even make a profit. |