On Friday the U.S. government filed to dismiss its legal challenge with the federal court overseeing the Titanic salvage. RMS Titanic, Inc has stated it has no expeditions planned at this time that would violate federal law governing the wreck. This ends a legal battle that began several years ago when the company wanted to retrieve the Marconi radio from inside the wreck.
Massacre of the Innocents Matteo di Giovanni (1435–1495) Public Domain
Today is the feast of the Holy Innocents (28 December) which commemorates the children killed in Bethlehem by Herod. According to the Gospel of Matthew, the magi had promised to return to Herod to inform him about the messiah. However, they were warned not to return in a dream. Herod ordered the killing of all male infants ages 2 and under. Joseph was told in a dream to take Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt to wait until Herod was dead. This particular story is only recounted in Matthew and not in Luke leading many to doubt it occurred. However, considering how Herod ruthlessly killed those that opposed him, it would not be out of character either. Executions were common back then, so it probably was of little note in a sea of tribulation. The Feast of the Holy Innocents was observed as far back as 485 AD and most Christian denominations observe it. Although it is a somber observance, many Spanish speaking countries celebrate Día de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents) but in a more light-hearted manner. It is similar to April Fools’ Day where harmless pranks and jokes are done. Forgiveness is offered by the victims to the prankers (in Spanish innocent often means naïve, though that can vary in different countries).
Now for some Titanic news. A few days before the Christmas holiday, it was announced that Spanish government owned Navantia has concluded a deal to acquire Harland & Wolff. While the exact terms were not disclosed yet, they include the four shipyards (Belfast, Arnish and Methil in Scotland, and Appledore in southwest England) and will save 1,000 jobs. The U.K. Royal Navy contract will continue but some terms have been renegotiated. Also the U.K. is providing financial support was well but the exact amount is undisclosed.
The recent auction of the Rostron watch by Henry Aldridge & Son broke a record with the highest amount paid at £1.56m ($1.96m). The 18-carat gold watch was presented to Captain Rostron by some of the survivors who were rescued by him in April 1912. The November auction left many wondering who the buyer was since it was done anonymously. However, it has now been disclosed that the purchaser was none other than Tiffany & Co, the luxury jeweler who originally made the watch back in 1912. “Captain Rostron’s pocket watch is an incredible expression of thanks and gratitude, and we are humbled to welcome this extraordinary treasure home to Tiffany & Co,” said Christopher Young who is the retailer’s vice president of creative visual merchandising, events, and the Tiffany Archives. The watch will go on display at LVMH Watch Week in Miami on 28 Jan-1 Feb. The watch will also go on display at special events and at Tiffany locations as well.
After many years away, Titanic: The Exhibition returns to Dallas on 14 February 2025 at Pepper Square. According to Tom Zaller, president and CEO of Imagine which holds this exhibition,: “Titanic has been a part of my life since the late 90’s when I had the incredible opportunity to dive to the wreck site, and since that firsthand experience, I’ve presented hundreds of exhibitions about the ship, her people and her stories.”
To salvage or not to salvage is still a question to be determined by RMS Titanic, Inc. Their most recent journey to the wreck didn’t include removing anything from the wreck, but they are reserving the right to do so down the road say various news reports. However, while they don’t plan to salvage the wreck in 2025, they are not closing off not doing it later. This puts them into potential conflict with the U.S. government which had argued salvage was not permitted by treaty and U.S. law. While that issue was not litigated, it will surely come back if and when the company decides to retrieve artifacts from inside the wreck.
For the moment, the company has no plans to salvage from the wreck. There are those who are planning to restart tourist dives to Titanic, but nothing has been announced yet regarding those ventures for 2025.
Happy New Year (publicdomainpictures.net) Photo: Larisa Koshkina
Another year gone. Hard to believe it but 2020 is all but over except for those December bills that are paid in January. The year started out fine with just some worry about an infectious disease that was appearing overseas. At first there was concern but nothing extraordinary. Then it began to spread in Europe fast. Called eventually Covid-19, this infectious disease spread quickly. Soon lockdowns in Europe began and then elsewhere. The disease would not always kill but could really knock you down. Nations and economies came to a standstill. Most businesses were shuttered, offices went remote, and the streets empty.
For Titanic, the news was indeed mixed. Titanic came in and out of the news over the desire to retrieve the Marconi radio from Titanic. This means going into the wreck to retrieve it for posterity before it is lost forever. On one hand, the argument to preserve for posterity is persuasive. Those opposed to salvage questioned the need to retrieve the Marconi radio. The judge in the end authorized the retrieval. Then the U.S. government stepped in and said the proposed salvage violated the Titanic treaty. The case is now on appeal and any salvage may be held up until it is resolved.
Titanic II, the proposed replica of Titanic and brainchild of Australian billionaire Clive Palmer, has likely been delayed again. A few years back and with great fanfare, Palmer announced his desire to build this ship. The formed a company, did some preliminary work, and then building was scheduled to begin at a shipyard in China. And then it went quiet and no one could confirm any shipbuilding was being done. Palmer also got into a spat with China during this time that may have affected the proposed construction. So Titanic II missed its original scheduled sailing for the simple fact construction never began. More time passed and then word came out that once again the ship construction was back on. And a new sailing schedule was released. And then, once again quiet. Perhaps because of Covid-19 or other reasons, it looks like once again Titanic II is not yet ready to be sailing soon.
Sadly, due to Covid-19 shutdowns, many Titanic attractions were shuttered. A few have reopened according to local health guidelines. Belfast Titanic shut down just after Christmas and is scheduled to reopen on 7 Jan 2021. That is, of course, conditioned on whether the current shutdown orders are extended or not. Both Titanic Branson and Titanic Pigeon Forge were open for the holidays but now closed for renovations. They are both scheduled to reopen in January. Masks required.
I want to wish everyone out there a Happy, Blessed, and Joyous New Year. May all your dreams come true in 2021.
Titanic Wreck Bow Image: Public Domain (NOAA-http://www.gc.noaa.gov/images/gcil/ATT00561.jpg)
In the continuing legal challenge to prevent salvage of the Marconi radio from Titanic, government lawyers are arguing that remains may be disturbed and were not considered in the dive plan. RMS Titanic Inc. has responded that human remains inside the wreck have not been in any of the dives thus far. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith approved the salvage in May. The government has appealed the decision to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal.
Source: Titanic: Concerns About Human Remains Could Block Company From Retrieving Iconic Radio (Boston.com,18 Oct 2020)
[Sorry for not posting sooner-been busy with work!]
Judge Okays Titanic Salvage
Titanic Wreck Bow Image: Public Domain (NOAA-http://www.gc.noaa.gov/images/gcil/ATT00561.jpg)
A federal judge has ruled in favor of R.M.S. Titanic (RMST)to go on an expedition to recover artifacts from the Titanic wreck. The company had petitioned to court to allow it to retrieve the Marconi telegraph and other artifacts. The company argued that due to deterioration these items had to be removed or they would be lost forever. The company, which has salvor-in-possession status, was seeking a modification of a July 2000 order which forbade it from cutting into the hull.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) opposed by filing an amicus curiae with the court. NOAA challenged the evidence justifying the expedition and arguing it was illegal under a 2017 Commerce Appropriations Act that prohibits this activity unless approved by the Secretary of Commerce. They also argued it was out of bounds due to an international agreement. Judge Rebecca Smith found the only issue before the court was whether RMST had followed the requirements required by previous court rulings. Since NOAA was not an actual party to the case, she did not rule on any of the merits raised in their brief to the court.
Source:
District Court Allows Salvage Company To Recover Telegraph from Titanic Wreck (Jurist, 24 May 2020)
This was not wholly unexpected. While many in the Titanic community were against the salvage, RMST claimed it was trying to preserve important artifacts from being lost as the wreck deteriorated. They were able to show to Judge Smith had to merely determine if this was a proper request, that how it would be done be consistent with previous authorized salvage, and that the items would be properly conserved. She was satisfied with what they presented to her.
NOAA’s involvement with the case was odd. Since they were not an actual party, they could only file a friend of the court brief. Their brief though was clearly meant as if they were an actual party to the case. One gets the distinct impression that folks at NOAA believe the federal government and not the court has jurisdiction here. They argued that the Secretary of Commerce is the one that makes decisions here and that an international treaty was also an issue. Judge Smith acknowledged the treaty but made it clear that NOAA has no seat at the table. They were essentially in the stands looking down waving paper at the judge. This must have miffed those behind it at NOAA. They can choose to appeal but on what grounds? If they go the route the Department of Commerce has authority, it sets up an interesting fight on maritime law. They may very well appeal this to stop the salvage. Providing of course they can convince a higher court to stop it. That may not be so easy as it sounds.
Titanic Chronology Updates
May 16,1912
Two boys thought orphaned when Titanic sank-Michel Navratil, Jr., 3, and Edmond Navratil, 2, were reunited with their mother. Their father had placed them in a lifeboat and perished when Titanic sank. A worldwide appeal to find relatives of the two boys led to finding the mother.
May 14,1912
Advertisement for the 1912 film “Saved from the Titanic”. This is an EDITED version, it is a simulated color version based on the color version already on Commons. 1912 Public Domain
The first silent disaster movie, Saved From The Titanic, was released. Starring Dorothy Gibson, who had been a passenger aboard Titanic, received positive reviews from critics. Sadly due to a fire in 1914 at the film studio, all prints of the movie were lost. All that we have are production stills and secondary evidence from other accounts of its existence.
May 13,1912
RMS Oceanic found the remains three people in a lifeboat from Titanic. The body of passenger Thomson Beattie and two unidentified firemen were recovered. While they apparently survived the sinking, they died from hypothermia or thirst in the collapsible lifeboat. The Canadian ship Montmagny recovered three victims and brought them to Louisberg, Nova Scotia where they were transported to Halifax.
May 6,1912
The cable ship Minia returned to Halifax, Nova Scotia with 17 bodies from Titanic . Only 1 had died from drowning and the rest from exposure.
The will of John Jacob Astor IV, who died in the Titanic disaster, was probated. His $150,000,000 estate (worth more than $3.3 billion in 2012)[17] was left to his 22-year-old son, Vincent Astor.[18
Titanic Wreck Bow Image: Public Domain (NOAA-http://www.gc.noaa.gov/images/gcil/ATT00561.jpg)
I have been withholding posting on some new developments about Titanic until I was fully read up on it. Not too long ago a long dormant treaty to protect the wreck of RMS Titanic was agreed to by the United Kingdom and the United States. Both sides mutually agree that the wreck is to remain untouched. Canada and France have not signed the treaty but are in possible consultations to sign on as well.
Actual salvage ended some years ago when RMS Titanic Inc. (owned by Premier Exhibitions) said no further salvage expeditions were planned. A salvage award was done and the entire collection is up for sale (it has to be sold as one unit). So far no one has put up a successful bid due to the high price and the strict conservation requirements the court imposed.
The state of the wreck is, well, it is a wreck that is going the way of most wrecks. It is steadily decaying and probably will be totally gone in a few decades (perhaps sooner or later but it is inevitable). That raises a concern that perhaps a valuable historical artifact will be totally lost forever if it cannot be recovered soon.
At least that is the concern of RMS Titanic Inc that now is petitioning the federal court for permission to retrieve the Marconi wireless transmitter from inside Titanic. Up until now, artifacts have been retrieved from the debris field and not from the ship itself. The argument is a simple one: it has to be retrieved before the ship decays further making it impossible. As can be expected, a storm of controversy has erupted. If it goes the course as before, the name calling and accusations of grave robbery will be thrown out.
During the first salvage, the Titanic community was divided. Flame wars erupted on the Internet that were so nasty, so personal, and took no prisoners that it drove many from Titanic online communities to never return. Anyone that was pro-salvage was vilified personally and without remorse. One notorious anti-salvager is rumored to have faked his own death to avoid facing his victims.
The essential argument is that with the ship in a rapid state of decay, retrieving this one artifact for history ought to be allowed. It is a compelling argument but so is letting Titanic being left alone as a memorial to those who have perished. A reproduction could serve the same purpose without having to disturb the wreck further.
Still had Howard Carter took pictures and sealed up the tomb of a virtually unknown pharoah, we would never have seen how ornate the tombs of pharoahs really were (most were looted and ransacked) in the Cairo museum today. Both sides have merit and a court in Virginia will make that decision. The treaty may or not play a role in this but it will be interesting to watch.
A commonly found reproduction of Titanic crows nest bell sold to museum and exhibition visitors.
A news report from Turkey says a 76 year old businessman claims to have a bell removed from Titanic. It is also claimed that he has windows from Hitler’s ship. One is more likely than the other. Hitler did have a wartime yacht, Aviso Grille,that was planned to transport Hitler and other dignitaries to England to accept their surrender. Of course there was no invasion of England (except for taking the Channel Islands)so it never got used for that purpose. The ship was used to receive many high ranking Nazi’s and honored visitors but did not go out to sea much other than in the early days of the war before being converted to Hitler’s use. After the war King Farouk of Egypt desired to buy the ship but enroute it stopped for repair. Limpet mines placed by his enemies dissuaded him from purchase. It was sold for scrap in 1951 and in a sense of historic irony, its metal went to the U.S. military for use. As for windows, it is possible they were sold and ended up in Turkey.
As for the Titanic bell, one assumes it is the crows nest bell being referenced. That was recovered in the first salvage expedition in 1987 and is part of the Titanic collection (now owned by Premier Exhibitions). If there were other bells brought up, they would be there as well. So the claim is false. Most likely he either has a reproduction or possibly a bell from Olympic or Britannic.
Sources:
1. Turkish Businessman Displays Titanic’s Bell At His Office(5 Sep 2014,CIHAN)
This news story appears to be from a televised story.
2. AVISO GRILLE (Strangevehicls.greyfalcon.us)
This site deals with the lesser known and odd vehicles of Nazi Germany. Revel Barker’s essay on this ship goes into detail about its military use before it was used as royal yacht for Hitler. While visitors were welcomed, it also did perform some wartime duties but most of the time was used as operational headquarters for Grand Admiral Erich Räder of the Kriegsmarine (official name of the Nazi German Navy from 1935-1945, now called Deutsche Marine).
3.German aviso Grille (Wikipedia)
This Wikipedia entry gives general information about the ship and its use as a command ship. It has no mention of its use by Hitler.
Duke of Lancaster beached near Mostyn, North Wales, UK (2010) Photo:Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK(via Wikipedia)
Douglas Wooley, who claims to own Titanic, long has had plans to bring Titanic to Liverpool and partially restore it as tourist attraction. Now according News North Wales, he has found a ship to assist in this endeavor: TSS Duke of Lancaster. The Lancaster, built in 1956, has been beached near Mostyn, Wales since 1979. Originally built as passenger steamer for British Railways by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, it was converted to a car ferry in the 1960’s. In 1979 the ship was sold to Empirewise Ltd, who according to Wikipedia would use the ship as “static leisure centre and market.” It became known as the “Fun Ship” but later was used as a warehouse. Despite its weathered appearance apparently the inside is in good condition. Right now it sits awaiting either to be scrapped or possibly used as an open art gallery to display graffiti.
And now Wooley thinks this will be a fine ship to aid in bringing up Titanic. The ship’s co-owner John Rowley, doubts the plan and adds “I have no comment on the idea,” he said. “I would be amazed if Mr Woolley is able to keep a straight face through it all. I obviously do not share the same sense of humour as this budding salvage man, but each to their own.”
You have to admire Douglas. He has never given up on the idea of raising Titanic. He claims (and likely does own) the actual wreck. Even if he could put all the pieces together to bring up just a portion, it would run into all kinds of practical and legal obstacles. Clive Palmer’s project to build Titanic II has more probability of being done than raising a part of Titanic from its watery grave.
In its most recent financial report, Premiere Exhibitions announced the following:
While both parties have worked diligently to finalize a transaction to transfer the Titanic assets, the Company terminated the non-binding LOI with the Hampton Roads consortium effective today. Mr. Weiser stated, “We always believed that Hampton Roads was an ideal location for the permanent home of the collection and the proposed transaction met our criteria of price, court satisfaction and tax efficiency. However, this group has failed to secure sufficient financing so we believe the Company needs to focus on pursuing alternatives to effect a sale of these assets for the benefit of shareholders. From the Company’s perspective, we view the termination of the LOI not as the end but as a new beginning for the process; one that will get us closer towards finalizing this in a manner that fulfills our shareholders’ expectations and satisfies the requirements of the court.”
The actual names behind this consortium has never been reported but the Virginian-Pilot reports that at one time The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News had been negotiating but could not raise the money.
Premiere also announced its second-quarter revenue was done by 42% from the same period last year. Gross profit dropped by half to $4 million compared to $8.2 million a year ago. Hurricane Sandy hurt when it forced closure of Manhattan Titanic along with more money being spent elsewhere on the 100th anniversary of Titanic sinking.
Reuters reported yesterday that Premiere Exhibitions has found a buyer for the Titanic collection. The reported sale price is $189 million to a group that is not identified.
Artifacts recovered from the wreck of the Titanic are set to be sold for $189 million by Premier Exhibitions Inc, the company that holds the salvage rights to the doomed ocean liner. Premier’s shares jumped 18 percent on Tuesday, after it said in a regulatory filing it had signed a non-binding letter of intent to sell the artifacts for $189 million to an unnamed group of individuals. “(The buyers) are obviously a group of significant means because they have to have the resources to display and care for the artifacts and they have to be suitable for court approvals,” said Bill Vlahos, portfolio manager at hedge fund Odyssey Value Partners, which holds a stake in Premier. Premier officials said on a conference call Monday that the firm expects the deal to satisfy all of the court’s conditions.
It will interesting to learn who this group is. Three possibilities come to mind: 1)Government owned museums or an alliance of them; 2)Private group with very deep pockets that already own or control museums; 3)A company or consortium already in business and wants to keep the Titanic exhibitions alive.
On Friday the U.S. government filed to dismiss its legal challenge with the federal court overseeing the Titanic salvage. RMS Titanic, Inc has stated it has no expeditions planned at this time that would violate federal law governing the wreck. This ends a legal battle that began several years ago when the company wanted to retrieve the Marconi radio from inside the wreck.
,
,
