| Subject: |
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Salvage permits denied |
| Name: |
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Bob Ward |
| Date Posted: |
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Dec 15, 06 - 5:47 PM |
| Email: |
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drake@newportnet.com |
| Message: |
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Pat,
In my last post, I forgot to address three of the issues that you raised. I haven't got used to the fact that on this forum, you seem unable to easily re-read the previous posting while you are composing a reply. The points are not particularly important, but for what they are worth here they are:
1. The Calles Government did sieze the Cortes family estates in Mexico in 1932, but that had no implications for family assets outside of Mexico. The present heir, who is a lady who now lives in Italy, was a young girl then and had to be smuggled out of Mexico with her father and brother and return to Sicily, where the Cortes family was based at that time, though the bulk of their assets had been in Mexico. Her life story makes very interesting reading.
2. I have seen the letter from the Spanish Ambassador that stated that Spain had abandoned her wrecks. It is an interesting document, but I do not think that an ambassador's opinion is necessarily gospel in an American court. It certainly was a very useful asset to Mel in his legal battles, though.
3. I do think that the wording of the SMCA is insidious, and is designed to classify all Spanish State-owned ships in US waters as sovereign vessels, immune from salvage claims. I am particularly interested in how this will apply to Manila Galleons, which, though owned by the State, were clearly on non-military duties, carrying what was largely privately-owned merchandise. I am not clear if it would cover private merchant ships that were working under contract to Spain, which would apoply to some of the Florida wrecks.
Best wishes,
Bob Ward |
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