Tigro,

I have already talked about this on past posts, so I apoligize for the other members reading this again.

But I wanted to state my point that I am not totally against salvaging all artifacts.

When I was younger, I thought along the lines that is was disrespectful to rummage around down there and disturb the great tomb. I believe this still to an extent today.

I think salvaging such artifacts like the ship's bell, china, hull plating, and the running light from the mast is not worth much, because really, what does these objects really teach us (other than the human tragedy).

Although I find that taking artifacts like pieces of luggage can be along this same line, I do make one acception to this:

I have come to my own acceptance of the salvage of paper artifacts like personal letters, postcards, and so forth.

We all love the Titanic and want to preserve her history, and furthermore, we want to continue to learn all we can about the passengers to commemorate their memory.

Where would the memory of Ann Frank be without her diary? She would be just another forgotten name in the haulocost without it.

I believe these surviving paper documents in leather suit cases that still have writing on them are absolute treasures in that the dead can still tell us something about them, their daily lives, their plans for the holidays, their love lifes, and so forth (Kind of like what Brock said on the movie : "Should this drawing remained unseen on the ocean floor for eternity?")

Although these paper artifacts are very personal, I do not believe they are too personal and do not exploit the passengers deaths. I guess what I am trying to say is that there is more to be learned from a passenger's letter that putting his or her reading glasses on display.

Does anyone else agree or disagree?