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Charity may run historic warship | Charity may run historic warship |
(about 18 hours later) | |
Historic warship HMS Victory could be run by a charity or a public body, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed. | Historic warship HMS Victory could be run by a charity or a public body, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed. |
The 249-year-old ship was Lord Nelson's flagship during the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar when the Royal Navy defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet. | The 249-year-old ship was Lord Nelson's flagship during the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar when the Royal Navy defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet. |
The MoD is examining a series of options for its future maintenance. | The MoD is examining a series of options for its future maintenance. |
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where the ship is based, said it was "in the Royal Navy's and the dockyard's interests to see her future secured". | Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where the ship is based, said it was "in the Royal Navy's and the dockyard's interests to see her future secured". |
This is not a case of the Navy giving away HMS Victory nor are we decommissioning it The Ministry of Defence | This is not a case of the Navy giving away HMS Victory nor are we decommissioning it The Ministry of Defence |
HMS Victory, on which Admiral Lord Nelson also died after being shot during the battle, is the oldest commissioned warship in the world. | |
She was built between 1759 and 1765 and is one of the only 18th Century ships of the line still to be found anywhere in the world. | |
However, the cost of maintaining her is reportedly about £1.5m a year and more, if major work is needed. | However, the cost of maintaining her is reportedly about £1.5m a year and more, if major work is needed. |
An MoD spokesman said: "This is not a case of the Navy giving away HMS Victory nor are we decommissioning it. | An MoD spokesman said: "This is not a case of the Navy giving away HMS Victory nor are we decommissioning it. |
"We are looking at a range of funding options for the continued support and ongoing maintenance of HMS Victory." | "We are looking at a range of funding options for the continued support and ongoing maintenance of HMS Victory." |
Keeping the current status quo, public ownership by another government department or non-departmental public body as well as establishing a new charity for the vessel and employing an existing charity are among the options the MoD is investigating as part of its consultation exercise. | Keeping the current status quo, public ownership by another government department or non-departmental public body as well as establishing a new charity for the vessel and employing an existing charity are among the options the MoD is investigating as part of its consultation exercise. |
Some 500,000 people a year visit the ship in the dry dock in Portsmouth and it is one of the city's major attractions. | Some 500,000 people a year visit the ship in the dry dock in Portsmouth and it is one of the city's major attractions. |
Robert Bruce, managing director at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, said: "It is clearly in both the Royal Navy's and the Historic Dockyard's interests to see her long term future properly secured and we will work with the Royal Navy to ensure that." | Robert Bruce, managing director at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, said: "It is clearly in both the Royal Navy's and the Historic Dockyard's interests to see her long term future properly secured and we will work with the Royal Navy to ensure that." |
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