I think it should be "Finders Keepers"

[michigan chris]

I would throw it back, long before I gave it to the Spanish. It's been 204 years. It's in international waters. Maritime law states today if you abandon your vessel it belongs to the person who finds it.

 

[MSilvia]

Since the loot was *probably* originally plundered from the Indians (or someone in a similar exploitable situation), it should rightfully belong to them!!!

My feelings exactly. I completely fail to see how plunder that has never been in Spain can be rightfully called Spanish property.

If I rob a bank and someone later finds a bag of jewels in the abandoned getaway car, I don't think I'd have much luck making a claim that they were rightfully mine.

 

[Bob Vincent]

I'd like the Salvers to win this stupid battle. They did the work. Why should they give it up and give it up to a country that really wasn't "there"? They say they didn't give up their rights? What about the country they stole it from, did they give up there rights?

Treasure Salver's beat the US Government in court. Now I hope Odyssey Marine Exploration beats the rest of the world. No matter what, I'd never give it back! Right is right! If they have to give anything back give it to the ones it was stolen from. Why should the invaders profit for attacking a less developed country they could steal from?

 

[sipadiver]

Frankly too me - it just a case of "what you can get". There are plenty of lost treasure that ends up in the hands of someone else. Look at the amount of loot taken from Nazi Germany after WWII. The Nazis stole it from someone else. And the Brits, Russians and US stole it from the Nazis. Rarely does the treasure return back to the original owner.

As for the silver/gold of Spanish treasure ships = honestly, shouldn't the treasure be returned back to South American - whom the Spanish looted the treasure from?

However in this case of ancient treasure, as someone else has mentioned, the original owners have already died and their children's children's children have already perished. Hey, maybe they are perhaps entitled to some of it. But the bulk of the treasure hoard should go to the finder- otherwise we're going to end up with a big black market operation. My sympathy definitely goes to the treasure hunters who have spent literally their blood and lives hunting for these lost artifacts and not to the fatcat bureaucrats who are sitting in their cushy offices waiting to cream off the treasure.

 

[james croft]

The Spaniards did not abandon their treasure. They were definitely going to salvage it, Manana...

FWIW a Spanish warship located in the Eastern Shore in VA by divers was fought over and last I heard the Spanish were winning over ownership. Am I mistaken, but didn't we win the Spanish/American War? I am pulling for the salvors on this one.

 

[Pirate Lady]

It belongs to the people who busted their butts to find it.

 

[The Chairman]

Warships are one thing. Merchant vessels are quite another. I agree that after ALL of the affected parties have died, the ship's cargo should be up for grabs.

 

[sipadiver]

There ought to be a statutory limit on such things. They have one for crime - which is ridiculous as the people affected are still alive. But for sunken ships - 200 years ought to be plenty of time.

What next? Will the Spanish Govt lodge a court complaint against the British because their privateers and naval officers captured their vessels?

 

[Mr.X]

When millions, or billions of dollars are at stake you can count on the courts impeding forward progress for the finders. Everyone wants a piece of the pie. Happens all the time. It's all about money + a small amount of pride. When you have a government with lawyers on retainer, or doing squat - filing and pursuing a legal case is no big shakes. In the end, the Spanish government will probably lose, but why not take a stab at it? Maybe you reach a joint fiscal agreement by tying up the the salvors so much that they want to settle? If you win a little, it sets a precedent for someone else.

My personal feeling is that you keep your discovery quiet as possible until you get everything squared away & enjoy your booty privately until you are old and gray. Leave the secrets to someone else when you are dead and gone! Sadly, this is rarely the case as someone is always watching!

X

 

[hansonian]

My personal feeling is that you keep your discovery quiet as possible until you get everything squared away & enjoy your booty privately until you are old and gray. Leave the secrets to someone else when you are dead and gone! Sadly, this is rarely the case as someone is always watching!

X

i have to agree 100%. what they don't know can't hurt you.