20
April 1875
Mr. O. Driftwood
Driftwood Fiorello and Tomasso, Attorneys at Law
New York City, New York
USA
Sir,
I am abroad in international waters. Normally I would take my legal
questions to
competent current legal counsel I have under retainer in London.
However, as an American overseas I am of the reluctant
understanding that international questions should refer to a lawyer at
home.
Among my business interests I am Vice President of a ship company;
O'Flaherty, Cuthbert, & Wooster, or some similar name; and I had
momentarily claimed a vessel by right of salvage. I made this based
upon the fact that, other than the pirates aboard, I was the first upon
the vessel and had the means to claim it. Unfortunately, logistics of
the mission that my associates were upon meant scuttling the ship of
its weapons,etc. and to leave the pirates adrift on this boat.
I have two questions concerning what occured. First: Was the claim
correct? I have been told there is some precedents concerning the
rights of ownership of pirates in International waters and that the
issues of salvage I mentioned were addressed in the case of F. Keypers
v. L Weepurs, which you have mentioned on occasion. Second: Can I make
a legitimate claim of loss of one ship due to piracy even if they were
the same pirates I salvaged from in the first place?
I would say however, as you have been known to travel abroad, that
despite this incident, rumors of piracy in the South China seas are
vastly overrated, and I would highly recommend a voyage to this
enchanted world.
Sincerly yours,
O'Flaherty
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