It is not, that nobody is interested in keeping old warships as museum pieces or other forms of historic interest, it is just a sad fact that in a country with a population of just 4 million there just isn't enough spare cash to go around.
The corporate sector is constantly being hammered for donations and the cost of maintaining a ship of this size is just out of the question.
Probably better to be sunk as an artificial reef than be broken up for razor blades. At least she still 'exists' and her memory lives on, even if it is underwater and accessible by only a few.
Art
NZBG
The world is but one country and mankind its citizens.
I can see your point Art, but in our country's case, spending hundreds of millions on the Iraqi war, which was uneccessary really makes my blood boil, and 80% of the rest of us here in Blighty, think the same.
Just 1 million pounds per year, would be enough to preserve historic vessels for posterity, together with the income they would create, from paying visitors.
Volunteer's would look after them, it just needs a bit of government funding, to help maintain them. Other museums, such as the Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum and other such establishments, all receive government funding.
Why not Historic Ships, they are just as much of our heritage, as other interests are.
Presently Building - Aircraft Carrier H.M.S. Victorious 1/96
Under Construction Laid Up - H.M.S. Marlborough 1/96
I just had a disturbing note from Paul Simpson that HMS Plymouth (and presumably Bronington and the submarines) are in imminant danger of being lost to us.
I find it incredible that vast sums of money earmarked for Heritage can be spent on things such as Churchill's personal papers which perhaps a handful of people will ever see and yet our true heritage is consigned to the scrap yards.
I admire Churchill greatly, but I think the Man himself would chew up a cigar in anger if he were alive today and learned money went to a wastral descendant to maintain an unearned playboy life style rather than on preserving for future generations the steel defenders of the Nation in which said descendant would never have dreamed of setting foot on in case he got grease on his Italian made silk suit, let alone spilling his blood within while wearing blue serge.
Are you any farther forward with this build, middle-watch?....I, for one am very interested in an update on the 'Nasty Naiad' project....or 'Nosh Naiad' as she was known in some circles!!
