Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NasdaqCM: OMEX), has discovered the British warship HMS Victory which was lost at sea in 1744.
The HMS Victory sank during a storm in 1744 with at least 900 men aboard and it is believed that the ship had more than 4 tons of gold coins on board, which could be worth considerably more than the treasure Odyssey raised from a Spanish galleon in 2007 and which the Spanish government has been trying to claim.
According to the company press release:
“Odyssey has been cooperating closely with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) on the project, and all activities at the site have been conducted in accordance with protocols agreed with MOD and Royal Navy officials. Terms of collaboration between Odyssey and the UK MOD on the project are currently being negotiated, and an agreement similar to the Sussex Partnering Agreement has been proposed.
“Finding this shipwreck has solved one of the greatest shipwreck mysteries in history. Having discovered it in deep water far from where history says it was lost has served to exonerate Admiral Balchin and his officers from the accusation of having let the ship run aground on the Casquets due to faulty navigation,” commented Greg Stemm, Odyssey’s Chief Executive Officer. “We have worked closely with the MOD on this operation, and anticipate that we will continue the excellent cooperative relationship that we have enjoyed working together on the Sussex project. Fortunately, this shipwreck is not in waters claimed by any other country, so we do not expect any interference in further exploration of the site.””
Odyssey has compiled a fascinating archeological report which I find interesting, considering all of the negative publicity that has been generated against the company by certain groups within the archaeological community. This paper, along with the others posted on their site, is an example of how private ventures can make a contribution to our understanding of the past. Perhaps if these groups would put the interests of science ahead of their extremist views they would actually help advance our understanding of the past, increase funding for the sciences and serve the greater good.
As it stands, the science (as with most sciences) of archeology is seriously underfunded and does not have the resources that a company like Odyssey can bring to the table.
Bronze cannon on the shipwreck site of HMS Victory bearing the royal crest of King George I
Tags: Ancient Coins, marine archaeology, Odyssey Marine, sunken treasure