Shipwreck trouble

[Darren in NC]

Near Bar Harbor, Maine...

Salvage company sues National Park Service to get Bar Harbor shipwreck

The ship, Delhi, sank in the 1890s with a cargo load of stone pavers that are still aboard the wreck, the company has said.

www.bangordailynews.com

 

[DizzyDigger]

From the article:

"The company, JJM LLC, is suing the National Park Service and Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places, Joy Beasley, after she designated the shipwreck to be eligible for inclusion on the list. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor.

As the keeper of the register, Beasley makes the final decision and now the only way for the designation to be reviewed is through a lawsuit, the company said in court filings."

So, if Joy decides it is on the list, then that's the end of it..unless you file lawsuit to change her ruling.

My first question would be: "Who the hell is Joy Beasley, and why does she have so much
power/control over these decisions?"

 

[Tnmountains]

Is the stone Belgium ballast?

 

[Crow]

Am I missing some thing here? The company, JJM LLC, wants to salvage pavers? And now engaged in court action against the state. How much are expecting to make from salvaged pavers to begin with? the legal fees and court costs , recovery cost might exceed the return on salvaged pavers?

Crow

 

[Crow]

Hmm

An 1890 paver below was selling for 14.99 a paver

A rough calculation if the vessel was carrying 250 pavers per ton and she was carrying two hundred tons of pavers equates to fifty thousand pavers.

As an example The 1890 paver above was selling 14.99 and pavers adding up with those. 750 thousand. Recovering pavers depending the size of salvage vessel . the cost margin might outweigh the profit margin. Add court action legal costs. I just cannot see the the profit from the effort.

Crow

 

[Darren in NC]

Am I missing some thing here? The company, JJM LLC, wants to salvage pavers?

I wondered the same thing, Crow. But like many shipwrecks, they must know of some "secret cargo" not listed on the manifest. I have a few of those in my research. Otherwise, it seems like a nonsensical endeavor.

 

[Crow]

There might be some time in the newspapers of the day. telling of shipwreck that might give us some clues.

I understand the secrecy especially when you do not have salvage rights on the vessel. Especially if she was carrying bullion or treasure..

She is in the Lloyd's records below.

We might be able get more information on her loss from newspapers of the day.


Crow

 

[TheRealTim]

Anyone have a link to the full article/beyond the paywall? This is interesting. NRHP eligibility wouldn't inherently offer any protection, absent some kind of federal permitting involvement. Seems more like an Abandoned Shipwreck Act issue if it's not a sovereign foreign vessel. People often take shots at the NPS over issues like NRHP eligibility, but there has to be a regulatory nexus somewhere for it to actually come into play. There's definitely a lot of backstory and detail to this that is probably fascinating.

 

[Darren in NC]

This article says the company is only interested in the pavers themselves. Hmm...

Unsealed name of sunken mystery ship near Bar Harbor only raises more questions

New court records revealed the boat was named Delhi. A schooner bearing that name sank off the coast of Mount Desert in 1893. But there were many other Delhis sailing the coast of Maine in the 19th century.

www.pressherald.com

 

[Crow]

Here is report on the sinking in Reporter Journal Friday April 21st 1893 below.

By the 1890s most gold was shipped by steamers. Schooners commercial activity was in long decline. Most of their cargo's was low value materials. Unless there was illicit shipment of money or gold.

Crow

 

[Darren in NC]

A man named James Grant recalls the story in a 1978 letter. It corresponds to the details in a 1893 article in a Maine newspaper. No mention of any hidden cargo here, though. But I've found many articles on ships that didn't mention specie aboard, only to find later research that did mention it.

 

[Crow]

A man named James Grant recalls the story in a 1978 letter. It corresponds to the details in a 1893 article in a Maine newspaper. No mention of any hidden cargo here, though. But I've found many articles on ships that didn't mention specie aboard, only to find later research that did mention it.

It was not good practice advertise having specie onboard. I agree. I know salvage groups are secretive and I fully understand why the smoke and mirrors as there is nothing worse than finding wreck researching and have it plundered in secret behind your back after doing all the hard work.
It appears there is discrepancies in depth of shipwreck? Maybe there is two shipwrecks there? The Delhi is just front or cover for another shipwreck. Once they get permit to salvage Delhi they salvage another vessel instead.

But it the masts as claimed in WW2 was sticking out of water. and it had gold on board why wouldn't the insurance company employ the services of hard had diver to salvage the gold? In 1890, underwater divers used standard diving dress, also known as "hard-hat" or "deep-sea" suits, for work like marine salvage and pearl diving. This equipment, pioneered by Augustus Siebe and his firm Siebe, Gorman & Company, featured a weighted helmet and a waterproof jacket, allowing divers to stay underwater for extended periods by delivering air from the surface.

Thanks once again for the intriguing shipwreck story as each one we can learn from.


Crow