200多年前,在多塞特郡韦茅斯附近沉没的阿伯加文尼伯爵号沉船受到了英国政府的特别保护。
这项保护是在英国历史协会的建议下获得的,该协会是英国政府的一个非部门公共机构,旨在保护英格兰的历史环境。
沉船遗址现在受到保护,不会受到进一步的破坏,尽管潜水员仍然可以在不接触遗骸的情况下进行探索。
阿伯加文尼伯爵号是东印度公司船队的一部分,在1805年2月的一场风暴中沉没,造成约250人死亡。
这艘船在从朴茨茅斯前往孟加拉国和中国的途中,与一个沙洲相撞,在离韦茅斯海岸约一英里的地方沉没。
遇难者中有船长约翰·华兹华斯,他是英国著名浪漫主义诗人威廉·华兹华斯的兄弟。
阿伯加文尼伯爵号建于1796年,是当时最大的船只之一,重达1300吨。
船上载有62箱银条,当时估计价值7万英镑,相当于今天的750万英镑。
沉船上的财宝一直没有找到,至今仍在海上失踪。
英国历史博物馆的首席执行官邓肯·威尔逊强调了这艘沉船的历史意义,他说,这艘沉船讲述了我们最著名的诗人之一威廉·华兹华斯的生活和悲伤,这令人回味。
威尔逊补充说,虽然沉船还没有得到充分的检查,但特殊的保护措施允许潜水员在保存残骸的同时探索这个地方。
波特***物馆的大卫·卡特(David Carter)在沉船的发现中发挥了至关重要的作用,他赞扬了遗址的保存。
博物馆展示了沉船上的几件文物,比如框架、固定装置和木板。
在最后一次航行中,船长约翰·华兹华斯(John Wordsworth)已经乘坐伯爵号成功地两次航行到中国。他的航海生涯在一定程度上是为了帮助他哥哥的写作事业。
约翰去世后,威廉·华兹华斯的诗歌变得明显黯淡,他的兄弟出现在《优雅的广场》、《西进》和《快乐战士的性格》等作品中。
阿伯加文尼伯爵的东印度公司在17世纪和18世纪的全球贸易和殖民化中发挥了重要作用。
由于没有证据表明该船参与了奴隶贸易,该公司的整体历史包括对人和地方的剥削。
据英国历史博物馆介绍,这艘沉船位于海平面以下约16米的地方,已经被保存为一个历史遗址,其中有大量的船体历史遗迹。
这项特殊保护措施允许对沉船进行探索,但要求所有文物不得碰触。
波特***物馆的协调员克洛伊·泰勒(Chloe Taylor)强调了波特兰岛周围海域的危险状况,以及那里发生的众多沉船事故。
这一特殊地位旨在纪念那些失去生命的人,同时也保存了与英国最著名诗人之一有关的海事历史的重要组成部分。
▲Image for representation purposes only
英文原文
The wreck of the Earl of Abergavenny, a ship that sank off Weymouth, Dorset, over 200 years ago, has been granted special protection by the UK government.
The protection was granted on the recommendation of Historic England, a non-departmental public body of the UK government aimed at protecting England’s historical environment.
The wreck site is now protected from further damage, although divers can still explore it without touching the remains.
The Earl of Abergavenny, part of the East India Company’s fleet, sank during a storm in February 1805, killing around 250 people.
The ship, en route from Portsmouth to Bengal and China, collided with a sandbank and sunk about a mile off the coast of Weymouth.
Among the dead was the ship’s captain, John Wordsworth, brother of the renowned English romantic poet William Wordsworth.
The Earl of Abergavenny, built in 1796, was one of the largest ships of its time, weighing 1,300 tonnes.
The ship was carrying 62 chests of silver bullion, estimated to be worth £70,000 at the time-approximately £7.5 million today.
The treasure has never been recovered from the wreck and is still lost at sea.
Historic England’s Chief Executive, Duncan Wilson, emphasized the wreck’s historical significance, stating that the wreck has an evocative story to tell about the life and grief of one of our most renowned poets, William Wordsworth.
Wilson added that while the wreck had not been fully examined, the special protection allowed divers to explore the site while preserving its remains.
David Carter of the Portland Museum played a crucial role in the wreck’s discovery and praised the site’s preservation.
The museum displays several artefacts from the shipwreck, such as frames, fixtures and planking.
On its final journey, John Wordsworth, the ship’s captain, had already made two successful voyages to China aboard the Earl. His maritime career was partially motivated by a desire to assist his brother’s writing career.
After John’s death, William Wordsworth’s poetry became noticeably bleaker, with references to his brother appearing in works such as Elegiac Stanzas, Stepping Westward and The Character of the Happy Warrior.
The East India Company, owing the Earl of Abergavenny, played a major role in global trade and colonization in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Since there is no evidence that the ship was involved in the slave trade, the company’s overall history includes the exploitation of people and places.
According to Historic England, the shipwreck, located approximately 16 meters below sea level, has been preserved as a historical site with substantial historical remains of the hull.
The special protection allows for exploration of the wreck but mandates that all artefacts remain untouched.
Chloe Taylor, a museum coordinator at Portland Museum, emphasized the hazardous condition of the seas surrounding the Isle of Portland and the numerous shipwrecks that have occurred there.
The special status aims to honour the memories of those who lost their lives while also preserving an important part of maritime history linked to one of Britain’s most famous poets.
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