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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Thunderfoot" data-source="post: 5522031" data-attributes="member: 34175">An oft overlooked fact - the reason Captain's used to "go down with the ship" had nothing to do with some sense of honor, but because if the Captain went down, the wreckage was covered by insurance companies at the turn of the century and prior to that the Captain as a duly appointed member of the government was considered "State's property" and "official liaison to the crown" (or whatever other governing body) which meant that a wreck was off limits to other countries, companies and hunters for a certain period while salvage operation could be planned and executed.This of course was a moot point in most trans-oceanic travel as only recently was the technology available to actually recover the vessels, which in most cases had out lived the "statute of limitations" imposed by international law on recovery operations.  Also, military vessels are NOT covered by such laws in wartime due to the "spoils of war" articles of the Geneva Convention. (Yay espionage!!!)IOW, as society gets more advanced our laws get more complicated.  Then - steal a pig lose a hand. Now - steal a pig, incarceration for a period of not less than 30 days or more than 2 years unless the pig can be proven to be of unique value.  Reparations not in excess of 5 times the legal purchase price of the pig will be remunerated to the plaintiff with the defendant forfeiting or defaulting personal property to make up the difference.  Defendants family shall be responsible for all fees and penalties if the defendant is unable to pay.  After 20 years if remuneration is not paid in full, the remaining balance shall be written off as overage.   (etc, etc, etc.)</blockquote>

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