Bells, Barrels and Bullion: Diving and Salvage in the Atlantic World, 1500 to 1800

摘要

The period from 1500 to 1800 witnessed an enormous growth in maritime commerce and traffic in the Atlantic world. Many ships never returned and were lost to the hostile elements, or to simple avarice. The owners of these vessels were, understandably, reluctant to part with their valuable ships and the rich cargoes they carried and, in response, the maritime salvage industry grew steadily. Almost all divers in this period were employed salvaging sunken cargo or harvesting natural resources off the seafloor. Isolated attempts to use divers for military or construction projects were of little significance. Early opportunistic salvage efforts were largely supplanted by more organized businesses operating within a legal framework of patents, concessions, and contracts. The successes and failures of these diving entrepreneurs generated reams of print, now in the archives of trading companies and courthouses.