successfully cleaned up without any apparent damage to the environment.

Officials were correct in saying that ten years ago a spill of this kind would have been much worse.

The steps that Government, the oil companies, the Bermuda Biological Station and other local agencies have taken since the early 1980s -- often out of the glare of the public eye -- to safeguard the Island were clearly rewarded with a quick and effective clean-up.

The plans that were put in place for just such an eventuality worked and the individuals involved were clearly trained and prepared to deal with it.

For that, the Marine Pollution Contingency Committee, the oil companies and everyone else involved in the clean-up deserve to be applauded.

But the spill should also serve as a reminder that the Island is only one mistake away from disaster -- both from passing ships and from within our own shores.

And Bermuda escaped worse damage this week for any number of reasons over which we have no control.

If the tide been going the other way, if the spill had not been spotted so quickly, if it had occurred at night, if the wind had been stronger...the spill would not have been so easily contained and we would be looking at a far worse problem today.

Esso Bermuda general manager Mr. Keith Hollis said on Wednesday that the company would "look at this area again and see if there is anything more we can do above and beyond what has been done''. It is to be hoped the company will do everything it can to ensure that the problem has been contained and that it will not happen again.

Indeed, the fact that this is the second leak from this pipeline -- which is also vital to the Island as it is the main link to the Bermuda Electric Light Company's plant -- means that it has to be very carefully examined to ensure that it is safe.

If the pipeline leak was caused by corrosion from salt water, then the Government and both oil companies must ensure that similar leaks from this pipeline and all the others around the Island can be avoided.

While the clean-up equipment Bermuda has at hand was sufficient to contain this relatively small spill, it is essential that there is enough gear on the Island to deal with bigger spills.

Doubtless, these points will be considered when those concerned hold their post-mortems on the spill. Those involved deserve Bermuda's thanks, but we should all remember how much worse this could have been.