Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-11-26

THE WREeK1SG SYSTEM OF FLoR1DA-In the new
work Wreck and Salvage by Judge Marvin
from whose decisions there is no appeal except to the
Supreme Court q. ST. he furnishes much valuable mat
ter for underwriters He says that prior to 1921 when
Florida belonged to Spain, wreckers from the Bahama
Islands constantly crused along the Florida reefs, and
saved large amounts of shipwrecked property, which
they carried to Nassau. In 1921, the country was
transferred to the United States by Spain and soon
after that event, few houses were built, and small
settlement of Americans made by John W. Simon
ton Pardon c. Greene and Others, on the island called
by the Spaniards Cayo Hueso bone 1sland) and by
the Americans Key West.
In 1922 Congress established port of entry at this
place. The settlers built wharves and storehouses and
very in condition to receive and store goods
and repair and ret vessels of moderate SIZE In 1879,
Congress prohibited the carrying of wrecked goods
found the coast to any foreign place, and required all
such goods to be brought to port of entry in the
United States This broke up the business of the Ba-
hama wreckers and Key West became the central point
for the business of wreckng the coast. In 1928,
Congress established Court at Key West vested with
admiralty jurisdiction. The judge was empowered to
license wrecking vessels This Court abolished by
the admission of Florida into the Union in 1845
and District Court of the United States establish
ed in its place in l947 The judge is authorized IN
the act of 1923, to license wreckng vessels. The act
reads, No vessel master thereof shall be regularly
employed in the business of wrecking on the coast OF
Florida without the license of the Judge of said Court
shall be satisfied that the vessel seaworhy and proper
and sufficiently fitted and equipped for the business Of
saving property shpwrecked and in distress, and that
the master thereof is trustworthy and innocent of any
fraud misconduct in relation to any property ship
wrecked saved said coast
1t has been held by the Judge that embezzlement o
wrecked goods, voluntarily running vessel aground IN
der the preence of plotting her. couding with the mas
ter of vessel wrecked in distress, corruptng hin
by any unlawful present promise, severaly, gooe
causes for Withholding revoking the license. Thu
act does not apply to trading or transient vessels bu
only to vessels engaged in wreckng as business
Fortyseven vessels averaging fifty tons EACH and carry
ing about eight men each have licenses at the presen
time Q858.) This number is fully adequate to all tn
wants of commerce. and encouragement ought not to
given to any increase Some of these vessels fully one
half associate fishing for the Havana market with wreck
ing Licensed wreckers required, by rule of Court
to institute judicial proceedings for salvage against al
property found by them derect or abandoned at sea
on the coast
Judge Marvin objects to the Commission allowed o
recommended by the Chamber of Commerce of New
York, in cases of reshpment Of wrecked or demage
cargoes He considers the charge of ~ per cent as
kind of premium fraud and that it leads to losses
besides being precedent for other ports.