The millionaire owner of the wreck of the Lusitania, which was sunk off the Irish coast in 1915 with the loss of more than 1,200 lives, plans to make a two-hour underwater film documentary on the doomed ship.
Mr F. Gregg Bemis jnr (70), from Santa Fe, New Mexico, was in the High Court in Dublin yesterday for the hearing of a dispute over the costs of previous proceedings here over the wreck.
The Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat 11 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork, and lies in 315 feet of water. More than 1,200 of the 1,959 passengers and crew were lost.
In November 1985 an English court decided that Mr Bemis was the wreck's owner and a similar decision was made by a court in Norfolk, Virginia, in April 1995. He was granted a declaration of ownership by the High Court in Dublin in May 1996.
Mr Bemis said yesterday that the delay from the legal proceedings had made it difficult for him to raise capital for his project. But when they ended, he hoped to raise £1.8 million for a documentary about the Lusitania.
He said he was planning a two-week exploration project next year, which would be very detailed and very costly and involve the use of "saturation" divers, with a view to making a two-hour documentary.
Mr Bemis said he had no plans to make a film on the theme of a love story, as in the highly successful film, Titanic. He said the story of the Lusitania was even more interesting than that of the Titanic.
Twenty seconds after the Lusitania was struck by a torpedo there was a second explosion which caused the ship to sink, Mr Bemis said. It was not known what caused that second explosion.
Although he owns the wreck, ownership of the ship's valuable cargo remains to be decided. Mr Bemis said that ordinarily when cargo from a wreck was brought up it was turned over to the Receiver of Wrecks who would determine the "true and lawful owner".
If no "true and lawful" owner was found, the salvor got the right to keep the cargo.
When granting a declaration of ownership in May 1996 to Mr Bemis, Mr Justice Barr said he was satisfied he was the sole and exclusive owner of the rights, title and interest in the Lusitania as well as the hull, tackle, appurtances, engines and apparel.
In the High Court yesterday Mr Brian McGovern SC, for Mr Bemis, said the only matter to be decided was the costs of the previous proceedings over ownership of the wreck.
Mr Bemis had taken the proceedings because he felt he had to protect his interests in this jurisdiction, in whose waters the wreck lay. In January 1995 an Underwater Heritage order had been made. Proceedings had been served five months later, Mr McGovern said.
The State had not contested the application when it came before the court, but that did not get away from the fact that Mr Bemis had incurred expense. He was required to get a declaration. The main bone of contention was the diving licences issued to others.
Mr McGovern said the implications of a Heritage Order were very significant for an owner. The State was the party which had control over the wreck. Mr Bemis had not applied for a licence yet but he hoped to be in a position to carry out diving on the wreck.
Mr Donal O'Donnell SC, for the State, said Mr Bemis's entitlement to ownership had never been denied. But it had been necessary to seek assurances from him because in the American proceedings Mr Bemis had asserted a right not only to the wreck but the cargo. He had failed in the latter.
Giving judgment, Mr Justice Barr rejected the application on behalf of Mr Bemis for an order for costs of the previous hearing against the State. He awarded the costs of yesterday's hearing to Mr Bemis.