Nautical Legal Research Questions...

Bil R

Private
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
Massachusetts
Hello Everyone,

Rumor has it that the National Archives is beginning to again respond to written inquiries. I have a couple of questions for the forum about where I should look for certain archival material:

1) Consider a commercial steamboat or steamship that sinks or is shipwrecked in accessible waters. The vessel is considered a complete loss and is insured. The insurer pays the claim and now the wrecked vessel becomes the property of the insurance company. The insurance company then sells salvage rights to a commercial salvage company or other parties, to recoup their loss. Where can I locate the register of sale of the wreck, or the title to the wreck? Would this under a state's legal authority or under Federal legal authority? Would this be under civil jurisdiction or maritime jurisdiction? Does anyone know which legal archives would contain such files?

2) Throughout the Civil War vessels were captured, assessed for value and then sold at public auction. Simultaneously claims were made for their capture with funds to be divided up among the claimants. Which legal branch adjudicated these claims from surveying the vessels, to handling their sales, and distributing the proceeds? Does anyone know which NA record group contain these cases and claims?

Many thanks in advance for any assistance...

All the best,
Bil
 
urrrrrr...... At one time I know I saw a breakdown of what records are kept by which government departments and which areas of the Archives. Now I just have to remember where I put those notes... :/
 
Hello Everyone,

Rumor has it that the National Archives is beginning to again respond to written inquiries. I have a couple of questions for the forum about where I should look for certain archival material:

1) Consider a commercial steamboat or steamship that sinks or is shipwrecked in accessible waters. The vessel is considered a complete loss and is insured. The insurer pays the claim and now the wrecked vessel becomes the property of the insurance company. The insurance company then sells salvage rights to a commercial salvage company or other parties, to recoup their loss. Where can I locate the register of sale of the wreck, or the title to the wreck? Would this under a state's legal authority or under Federal legal authority? Would this be under civil jurisdiction or maritime jurisdiction? Does anyone know which legal archives would contain such files?

2) Throughout the Civil War vessels were captured, assessed for value and then sold at public auction. Simultaneously claims were made for their capture with funds to be divided up among the claimants. Which legal branch adjudicated these claims from surveying the vessels, to handling their sales, and distributing the proceeds? Does anyone know which NA record group contain these cases and claims?

Many thanks in advance for any assistance...

All the best,
Bil
Its good to hear from you after such a long time. How are you coping with Covid 19?
 
Hello Biscoitos,

Thank you for the kind sentiments. After consistently, and safely caring for Covid patients for nine months, there was a lapse. Or a break, or a gap, or an opening or simply bad luck in my daily PPE preparations. I cared for a patient on December 17th and one week later developed a dry cough. That cleared in two days so I was thinking it was merely a cold. Then, two days later I lost my sense of taste and smell. I went to obtain a Covid test on the 31st and they were to inform me if I was positive. They did not. I received my first Covid vaccine shot (Moderna) on the 2nd. The state DPH called me at home on Sunday, the 3rd, and informed me that all 3 tests (rapid, antigen and PCR) were Covid positive. I was asked for my previous contacts and told to isolate for 10 days.

Fortunately, the disease course has been very mild, no shortness of breath, no fevers, no body aches or fatigue, and no hospital admission. I was even able to continue my weekly runs. I am back at work now and feeling fine, as is my wife. Considering this disease has taken the lives of nearly 400,000 of my fellow Americans, I feel extremely fortunate and grateful for what Providence has granted me. It has been humbling. I have told my sisters about this illness but not my parents. At their age they do not need to worry about anything else. As alluded to above, the time off has allowed me to prepare and send out new research inquiries of which some replies have already been received. Keep looking, the information is there somewhere...

All the best,
Bil
 
Hello Biscoitos,

Thank you for the kind sentiments. After consistently, and safely caring for Covid patients for nine months, there was a lapse. Or a break, or a gap, or an opening or simply bad luck in my daily PPE preparations. I cared for a patient on December 17th and one week later developed a dry cough. That cleared in two days so I was thinking it was merely a cold. Then, two days later I lost my sense of taste and smell. I went to obtain a Covid test on the 31st and they were to inform me if I was positive. They did not. I received my first Covid vaccine shot (Moderna) on the 2nd. The state DPH called me at home on Sunday, the 3rd, and informed me that all 3 tests (rapid, antigen and PCR) were Covid positive. I was asked for my previous contacts and told to isolate for 10 days.

Fortunately, the disease course has been very mild, no shortness of breath, no fevers, no body aches or fatigue, and no hospital admission. I was even able to continue my weekly runs. I am back at work now and feeling fine, as is my wife. Considering this disease has taken the lives of nearly 400,000 of my fellow Americans, I feel extremely fortunate and grateful for what Providence has granted me. It has been humbling. I have told my sisters about this illness but not my parents. At their age they do not need to worry about anything else. As alluded to above, the time off has allowed me to prepare and send out new research inquiries of which some replies have already been received. Keep looking, the information is there somewhere...

All the best,
Bil
Thonk goodness that you are okay now.
May God bless and keep safe all the Medical personnel and first responders.
You are all heroes.
I will pray for you.
 
Hi Bil,

glad to hear you and yours are ok. Out here in California we appear to have a mixed approach to handling this problem and a dispute about possible allergic reactions with the Moderna vaccine. The Pfizer version is allegedly also effective against the new strain. In regard to your question(s), we are talking about commercial vessels, not warships? I believe there are some pretty strict Federal issues re salvage of military vessels - they are usually considered war graves.
 
Hello Bil, very happy to hear you are Ok. Over here we have a steadily rising infection and death rate. The vaccination program has started with the clinically vulnerable and over 80s. I'm in the fourth rank to be vaccinated, the over 70s.
 
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