We lead off this issue of The Forum with a letter from an experienced marine archaeologist, Edward Von der Porten, criticizing my November/December 2003 editorial (“Why Not Work with the Salvors?”) and suggesting that I’m being beguiled by smiling sharks in encouraging marine archaeologists to work with salvors. Mr. Von der Porten makes some interesting observations. He ends by lauding me for deploring looting on land, then asks why I encourage it at sea. But he suggests no ways of stopping the salvors who loot. I want at least to retrieve what we can from their activities. Major salvor […]
