further clarification on the collections policy of the planned ocean exploration institute in Bermuda.

ICMM president Mr. Richard Foster is worried the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute might not implement all six of its rules relating to underwater archaeology.

In a letter to BUEI Board of Trustees chairman Mr. David Lines, which was sent to The Royal Gazette , Mr. Foster asked for assurances that the wording of clause seven of its collections policy meant it intended to adopt all six resolutions passed by the ICMM concerning underwater exhibits.

"I repeat that I have no reason to doubt the integrity of the trustees of the BUEI...,'' wrote Mr. Foster. "I look forward to receiving the assurances from the chairman that we are indeed upholding and implementing commonly held principles in this matter.

"To bring matters to a head, if I were to ask you to redraft your collections policy to adopt all six of the ICMM resolutions, would this cause any difficulty?'' BUEI spokesman Mr. J.H.R. (Jack) Lightbourn said the board would comply with the request.

But he said there was no need to redraft the BUEI's policy because clause seven, although it was in the board's own language, meant "precisely the same thing'' as the resolutions.

"We have not the least bit of interest in exhibiting anything salvaged illegally,'' he insisted.

The BUEI would exhibit deep sea treasures if they salvaged legally at the time they were brought up.

International museum collections rules had changed significantly over the years, he said. And something salvaged legally 30 years ago would probably not be deemed legal by today's standards.

"But that does not mean we are going to throw out every exhibit collected up to 30 years ago,'' he said. "We are not going to do like the Maritime Museum and make our collections policy retroactive to 10 years.'' He said the BUEI would show a number of treasures collected in Bermuda under licence from the appropriate authority and legally released to the finder.

The BUEI policy, which it said was discussed with the Maritime Museum and National Trust, encourages the development of cooperative collecting policies with collecting institutions, historical societies and repositories.

It states: "All donated and purchased materials are to be accompanied by an appropriate written confirmation of title transfer before they may be accepted into the collections.

"The Institute shall adhere to archaeological standards consistent with the approved policies of such international bodies as the International Congress of Museums and shall not knowingly acquire or exhibit artifacts that have been stolen, illegally exported from their country of origin, illegally salvaged or removed from commercially exploited archaeological or historic sites in recent times.

"A commercially exploited site is defined as one in which the primary motive for investigation is private financial gain.''