Salvaging History?
On the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, an auction house in New York will be selling $185 million worth of items salvaged from the wreckage. According to a recent article in the National Post, the auction has generated a new wave of criticism from many, including survivors of the tragedy and their families, who describe it as insensitive pillaging.
The wreckage of the Titanic was discovered in 1985. Shortly thereafter, salvage crews descended upon the location. Legal battles ensued over the salvage rights by companies looking to cash in on the public’s interest in the tragic story. Since the first salvage operations began, people have blasted the companies and compared them to grave-robbers. Those involved in such operations take exception to the comparison, and say that what they do is no different than searching a battlefield with a metal detector. They argue that if the items are not pulled up, they will be destroyed in the ocean, and no one will be able to see these pieces of history.
Pursuant to a 1994 ruling by the Eastern District of Virginia, the RMS Titanic Inc., a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Premier Exhibitions, has the exclusive salvage rights over the wreck. The private company has recovered about 6,000 items from the ship.
Some collectors draw a distinction between owning parts of a sunken ship and owning the personal effects of victims. One collector quoted in the article said that it doesn’t feel right to him to purchase personal items. But according to the National Post, it is personal items that draw the crowds. The RMS Titanic Inc. has touring exhibitions which display many personal items including clothing and letters, along with information about the previous owners.
The history of the legal battles over the salvage rights is set out in an article entitled "Titanic in the Courts" by Ricardo Elia.
