Oh, I was wondering where that was!
Posted by Ron Coleman on January 24, 2008
The Spanish government wants its dubloons and stuff back. Remember the treasure-hunting ship that claimed salvage rights in a ship with half a billion dollars worth of gold coins from a sunken Spanish ship from a gazillion years ago? Spain says, “What salvage rights?!”
On June 6, El Pais, Spain’s biggest newspaper, ran an editorial headlined “Pirates of the 21st Century.”
“Almost as if it were back to the times of corsairs and freebooters, the new pirates of this century continue to besiege our galleons despite the fact they have been lying at the bottom of the seas for centuries immersed in an eternal sleep,” it said. “How is Spain to defend itself against such a violation of its archaeological and historic patrimony?”
A little over the top, no, Señor? At a certain point you guys didn’t even consider writing this one down?
It’s a lot more complicated than either side readily suggests.
Jack said
“How is Spain to defend itself against such a violation of its archaeological and historic patrimony?”
In English?
Scott Kirwin said
I propose they send the soldiers they withdrew from Iraq to guard those ships.
Jack said
“I propose they send the soldiers they withdrew from Iraq to guard those ships.”
Do you think they would meet with any likelihood of success?
pennywit said
OK — if I’m not mistaken, the story says that at least one of the wrecks was believed sunk by the Brits. Granted, I know zilch about the law in this area, but do the Brits also have some sort of “spoils of war” interest here if so? And perhaps the merry Earl of Whatsamahoozitdown who captained the ship that sank the Spanish vessel?
–|PW|–