| Subject: |
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Welcome back |
| Name: |
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Jim Sinclair |
| Date Posted: |
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Sep 8, 06 - 4:07 PM |
| Email: |
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jimsinclair@searex-inc.com |
| Website: |
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http://,1 |
| Message: |
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Thank for the invite Pat,
Nice to see things getting off the ground. As you are no doubt aware as always there is change inthe air for those who wish to study,explore for and recover shipwrecks in the USA. With the passage of the Sunken Military Craft Act the USA has in nearly one fell swoop codified under law the protection of United States Navel Vessels lost at Sea and are poised to literally give away thousands of shipwrecks that belonged to ex-colonial governments operating in the New World.
Most of these old powers realize the difference between a Military Craft and a Merchant Vessel and are quick to adopt the United States definition that the New law applies only to vessels on Military NON COMMERCIAL service/missions.
However, and without too much surprise, the Kingdom of Spain is attempting to stretch this definition to include any and all of the ships that were ever lost in the New World. The various nations to which this law has been extended have published their various definitions in the federal register (again Spain's is certainly the broadest). Up to this point no one outside of the Naval Historical Center has had the opportunityu to have any input, although through both ShipRex and HSSPC we have lobbied to do just that. We were told in some curt correspondence that our chance for input will come after the rules are published! Great... that should really allow us to have input! As an industry (professional Salvors and as interested avocationals I would urge eveyone who stands to be effected to become knowledgable regarding this new law. For thos of you that used to dive on the Uboats I would say that those days are certainly numbered, those dive shops whichused to visit these sites with paying customers will now probabaly have to seek permission to do so from the German embassy.
There is, to my way of thinking, a vast difference between modern warships and those lost in the Colonial Period. There is certainly a vast diffence between ships that carried troops and fought in wars as compared to those that were simply a part of the merchantile efforts of private entities.
Okay I'm off the soapbox but I thought aht starting off this forum with a note that might ruffle some feathers might be a good way to get the blood circulating and the brain cells humming...
Jim...Doh!  |
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