The Story of a Shipwreck lost off Gibraltar
in 1694
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| HMS Sussex by John Batchelor |
HMS Sussex was a large 80-gun, 500 sailor, English warship lost in a severe storm in 1694. The story of her mission and place in the unfolding events of the late 17th and early 18th centuries presents a fascinating scenario to archaeologists, historians, and those with a general interest in European and international developments.
Built in the reign of William and Mary, HMS Sussex was Admiral Sir Francis Wheeler's flagship, escorting a fleet of 40 warships and 166 merchant ships to the Mediterranean when she was lost on her first major voyage. Research indicates that her Admiral also had a secret mission; to pay a large sum of money to the Duke of Savoy, an ally of Britain in the War of the League of Augsburg. France under King Louis XIV was then an enemy. Evidence suggests that the payment, most likely consisting of tons of gold coins, was lost with the ship.
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| Two cannon partially buried |
The fleet was caught in a violent "levante" (strong easterly wind better known to windsurfers in nearby Tarifa), and facing the risk of being forced against the rocky Spanish coastline the captain, Sir Francis Wheeler, attempted to tack into the wind and tuck back behind Gibraltar. Water entered the open gun ports and the end came swiftly, while the Admiral slept. The date was February 19, 1694 the ship was one day out of Gibraltar. Only two persons survived the sinking and several days later the fleet Admiral Francis Wheeler's body, clad in a nightshirt, washed up on shore. The funds never reached the Duke. A year later, England again attempted to ship money to Savoy - but too late. The Duke of Savoy secretly changed sides and took the French offer. His defection brought the war to an end in a stalemate.
The Sussex caught the attention of Odyssey Marine Exploration, a Tampa Florida- based company in 1995. A researcher showed the company a diplomatic letter written shortly after the sinking that said the ship carried a small fortune. The Sussex had no special renown in nautical history, unlike famous sunken galleons. So Odyssey hired researchers to comb archives in England, France, the Netherlands and the United States for clues to the cargo and resting place.
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| The 251 foot Odyssey Explorer |
Odyssey have been conducting offshore search and survey operations since 1998 and believe they have identified a shipwreck site off the coast of Andalucia, Southern Spain in the wreck of the vessel at a depth of 1,000 metres. During the course of Odyssey's search expeditions, 418 targets were located. Several of those targets turned out to be ancient shipwreck sites, including the "Melkarth", an ancient shipwreck covered by ceramic jars, or amphorae, which suggests that it was a Punic or Phoenician merchant vessel dating from the 3rd to 5th Century BC. A Punic/Phoenician wreck of this era, especially one in deep water, is a tremendously important archaeological find. They also found Roman sites over 2,000 years old as well as many modern shipwrecks, geology and debris. Only one site contained a cannon - and it was very close to the position where the Fleet secretary reported in1694 that the Sussex had foundered.
Greg Stemm, cofounder of Odyssey said, "After years of research, millions
of dollars of exhaustive underwater search, and extensive due diligence
by Her Majesty's Government, we are finally able to begin the excavation.
This will be the deepest archaeological excavation of a 17th century
shipwreck ever undertaken and we are excited to be working with
the Government of the United Kingdom on this historic project."
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| ZEUS, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) |
Odyssey Marine Exploration has agreed to a strategy with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for implementing the project plan relating to the shipwreck believed to be HMS Sussex. This is the first time any government has entered into an agreement with the private sector for the archaeological excavation of a sovereign warship.
Odyssey submitted two drafts of the project plan, which were subjected to several months of detailed scrutiny, analysis and comment by the Project Board, assisted by an independent Archaeological Review Group (a panel of expert archaeologists) chaired by English Heritage.
The meetings resulted in an agreement to create an advisory committee to provide advice relating to the Project Plan's archaeological management team and archaeological best practice. The body is named the Sussex Archaeological Executive (SAE) and in the spirit of collaboration, Odyssey and the Government will appoint an equal number of members. All members are subject to approval by both parties. It is intended that the SAE will streamline project oversight and interface between the Government and Odyssey during time-sensitive offshore operations. The Project Plan will be implemented in a modular manner with SAE review at agreed stages.
The partnership is to split the profits or appraised values of the recovered coins on a sliding scale that favours Odyssey at first and then the government. Odyssey is to get 80 percent of the proceeds up to $45 million, 50 percent from $45 million to $500 million and 40 percent above $500 million. The British government gets the rest.
Archaeologists have criticized the British Government's treasure hunt approach.
The Council for British Archaeology states that the wreck is understood
to be in waters that are disputed as being either Spanish or International.
It is over 2,500 feet down and can only be investigated using robots.
It is not proven that properly recorded archaeological investigation
is feasible for an ancient vessel of this age at this depth using
current remote technology.
Further exploration, identification and archaeological excavation of the shipwreck site believed to be HMS Sussex will begin once the archaeological team has been appointed, financing is finalized, and the appropriate vessel, equipment, and personnel are mobilized. Odyssey plans to be on-site in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer of 2003.
Odyssey had planned to be on-site in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer of 2003 but this was delayed until early 2005. Just as Odyssey was about to start excavation it withdrew for 15 days "in order to allow the Spanish Government time to review the archaeological methods and administrative issues relating to the project and to discuss protocols for the exploration and protection of Spanish shipwrecks that Odyssey finds in the area or elsewhere throughout the world." It then tactfully began search operations on the "Atlas" project which consists of five target shipwrecks in the western Mediterranean.
Information on the projects slow progress has only been forthcoming from Odyssey press releases. The paragraphs below are quoted directly from this March 2006 source as it offers an interesting insight to the diplomatic problems.
In December 2005, Odyssey's 251' deep-ocean archaeological platform, the Odyssey Explorer, returned to the western Mediterranean from the "Atlas" search area. The ship and crew conducted the initial phases of Odyssey's Sussex project plan approved by HMG.
During January 2006, Odyssey announced it had completed archaeological and environmental survey operations believed to fulfil the requirements of Phase 1A, and a substantial portion of Phase 1B. A report was submitted to HMG, which detailed the work completed by Odyssey to satisfy Phase 1A requirements of the Sussex project plan. The report was reviewed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Sussex Archaeological Executive committee.
HMG notified Odyssey that the work detailed in the report met or exceeded all requirements of Phase 1A of the Sussex Project plan and Odyssey is authorized to proceed to complete Phase 1B of the project. (A public version of the project plan is available at www.shipwreck.net.) Odyssey's archaeological team has also completed a report detailing results of Phase 1B accomplished during the month of January, which was submitted to HMG in March 2006. On January 26, 2006, a nota verbal was communicated to Odyssey through diplomatic channels requesting the Company suspend operations until the Junta of Andalucia - the regional government of the Spanish state of Andalucia - appointed an expert to observe operations on the site believed to be the Sussex. It was further declared the Junta did not appoint an expert because they believed Odyssey was working without appropriate authorization and that the Project Plan presented by the Company did not comply with the applicable Andalucian legislation as requested by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Odyssey did, in fact, submit a Project Plan to the Spanish Government through diplomatic channels that was believed to comply with all applicable requirements. In good faith, the Company began operations on the Sussex after submission of the Project Plan and subsequent assurance by the Spanish Government through diplomatic channels that failure of the Junta to appoint an expert to join the operation would not be considered a failure of Odyssey to comply with the cooperative agreement pursuant to the nota verbal. In addition, assurances were provided to Odyssey through diplomatic channels during January 2006 that there would be no interference with Sussex operations.
The January 2006 nota verbal from Spain appears to have been a contradiction of that position, and Odyssey trusts the inconsistency resulted from ambiguity and possible miscommunication relative to jurisdictional issues.
When operating in territorial waters of any country, Odyssey has always done so with the appropriate authorizations. In the case of the Sussex project, because of regional sensitivities over the issue of the territorial status of the waters, and in accordance with diplomatic requests, the Company's agreements of cooperation were made without prejudice to any jurisdictional claims relative to the territorial status of waters. Thus, the assertion of any claim to those waters or the assertion of any rights based on such claims is not consistent with the diplomatic discussions relative to the project.
During meetings held in Spain in February 2006 with the Spanish Government, the Junta de Andalucia and the Government of the United Kingdom, Odyssey agreed to re-submit an archaeological project plan pursuant to specific requirements requested by Spanish authorities to move the project forward. This plan, which included collaboration with Spanish archaeologists, was delivered to the appropriate authorities in March 2006.
In May 2006, a response was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with several technical questions raised by the Junta of Andalucía. In early June, the Company provided clarification on these points to the Kingdom of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the offices of the Embassy of the United Kingdom. On March 23, 2007, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release to announce agreement between Spain and the United Kingdom for Odyssey to proceed with the Alboran project, which includes preliminary phases of excavation and identification of the site believed to be the Sussex as well as a survey of the area in which the shipwreck lies. As part of this agreement, Odyssey has agreed to provide information relative to other shipwrecks in the surrounding area to the Spanish Government to assist in their protection and preservation.
On March 23, 2007, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release to announce agreement between Spain and the United Kingdom for Odyssey to proceed with the Alboran project, which includes preliminary phases of excavation and identification of the site believed to be the Sussex as well as a survey of the area in which the shipwreck lies. As part of this agreement, Odyssey has agreed to provide information relative to other shipwrecks in the surrounding area to the Spanish Government to assist in their protection and preservation. Odyssey is currently waiting for the archaeological staff to be selected and scheduled before resuming operations.
The project has also been delayed while contentious issues relating to the "Black Swan" project. On July 12, 2007, the Odyssey survey vessel, the Ocean Alert, departed Gibraltar and was boarded by the Spanish Guardia Civil and forcibly directed to a port in Spain for search and inspection. The inspection was completed and the ship was cleared for departure on July 17, 2007. On October 16, 2007, Odyssey's research vessel Odyssey Explorer departed Gibraltar and was detained by the Spanish Navy and Guardia Civil in international waters and forcibly directed to a port in Spain for search and inspection. After a rigorous inspection the Odyssey Explorer was cleared and departed on October 20, 2007. It is the opinion of Odyssey's legal counsel that the seizure and search of both vessels was conducted illegally, and Odyssey has sought economic relief in U.S. federal court on the matter.
For more information check out www.shipwreck.net
and www.britarch.ac.uk.
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