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 The scenes of hundreds of looters, or 'salvers,' descending on the strewn cargo of the stricken MSC Napoli on Branscombe beach, Devon, taking what they could carry away, have revived centuries old traditional seafaring hobbies such as swashbuckling treasure hunting, ye olde smuggling, wrecking and high seas piracy in the UK.
Under centuries old maritime law the 'salvers' were doing nothing wrong, as long as they registered their booty, and this loophole is now being exploited to the full as folk take to the beaches in their thousands for fun, swashbuckling and profit. Lighthouses have been put out of use and crude fake ones erected at night drawing ships into treturous waters, wrecking them on the shores. Salvers then ransack through the goods on board, taking them to be hidden in caves and church vaults. Crewmembers are tied up so they can't intervene or raise the alarm. There have been reports of musket fire and ships flying the Jolly Roger 'skull and crossbones' flag off the shores of Cornwall, Devon and Sussex.
PC Bargndes Roquefort of Cornwall & Devon police told us "It's utter madness, like we've gone back in time two centuries. It has really caught the public's imagination, but we would like to remind everyone that Wrecking ships on rocks for bounty IS a crime, and we will press charges. Piracy, violent swashbuckling and shooting muskets at passing Spanish and French ships are also a no no."
Several vicars have already been arrested in connection with a recent Wrecking off Penzance, Cornwall, in which 40 crew very nearly drowned and millions of pounds of valuables were lifted. Police yesterday removed nearly 7 tonnes of treasure from the crypt of a local church. Rev Dolcelatte, has pleaded with other clergymen not to get involved,
despite the temptations, saying, "May God forgive those vicars in police custody. Please let’s not have any more vicars caught up in this! We're men, and women of the cloth for Christ's sake!"
Words like "Arrrrrrrr" and "me hearties" have also made a return to everyday usage as Britain goes crazy for all things maritime. |
