Graf Spee's eagle raised

Originally Posted by STEED

I don't think they will it's a war grave. :hmm:

No, it's not. No one went down with the ship; they abandoned first, then scuttled.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

No, it's not. .

Some would say it is ? OK under the law no, but I can not see why they want to raise it?

[Godalmighty83]

numerous reasons, historical preservation etc.

would also make a fine naval museum exhibit.

'only by knowing the past can we stand to the future'

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by Kapitain

yes you can an american billionaire owns titanic

RMS Titanic, Inc, an american corporation, has been granted exclusive salvage rights by an american court. It's not the same as ownership of the wreck. (If you want to be really, really technical, either Cunard lines owns it, or Lloyd's of London insurance bureau owns it.)

It's a pretty weird thing, I guess it could easily be contested in court (The wreck being in the canadian-claimed EEZ, being British in the first place, etc)

ETA : Link

[Kapitan]

that is true the titanic and britanic spelt the end for white star which later became soley Cunard

[bill clarke]

How can modern Germany claim ownership ? the ship belonged to a government that ceased to exist 60 years ago, and a political party that is outlawed in Germany and most of Europe today.

[CCIP]

It was still built on German taxpayers' money, by Germans, in Germany :hmm:

It's like refusing the Autobahns... well, not quite, but you get the idea

[Torplexed]

The Deutchland class which the Graf Spee was one of, were ordered under the 1929 Program for the Reichsmarine of the Weimar Republic. So their concept, design and laydown under a troubled democracy certainly predates Hitlers coming to power. Of course the Nazis weren't loathe to put them to use. A distinction without a difference I realize but it goes to show how fuzzy concepts like past government ownership can be. What it comes down to in the end is it's a uniquely "German" warship.

[lesrae]

Salvaged ships which sank before the first atom bomb detonations are also valuable for their 'pure' steel, it's used in scientific research etc.

[Abraham]

I din't get "the first atom bomb" thing... What's that got to do with it?

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by Abraham

I din't get "the first atom bomb" thing... What's that got to do with it?

I'm curious as well... I can see why it might be interesting, but I don't see how an atom bomb would have affected iron and coal buried kilometers underground half the world away...

[lesrae]

Well, before the first a-bomb test the earth had a 'natural' level of radioactivity. Since then the level has increased due to the testing and use of bombs. Steel demonstrates this rise in levels, it's to do with the amout of air that's blown through the steel in it's manufacture (or something like that).

The steel from older wrecks wasn't contaminated in this way during it's manufacture so it's valuable for use in sensitive equipment - mostly in the medical world apparently. I first heard about it referred to in relation to the German fleet at Scapa Flow, I few more tidbits in this search: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...G=Search&meta=

I'm not suggesting it's worth raising a wreck solely for this use, I just thing it's an interesting subject.

[Abraham]

Sorry Lesrae for thanking you so late for your reaction on my question. I've been away (see: http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=49854 )
Interesting stuff indeed.