in 1992, figures released by the US Justice Department show.

Government also paid about $58,000 to a Connecticut public relations consultant that year, the figures show.

And the Department of Tourism paid about $18.7 million to American advertising and film distribution companies.

Lobbyists working on behalf of foreign interests are required to report their earnings to the Justice Department.

An article this month in The New York Times said lobbyists working for Bermuda interests reported earnings of $1.6 million in 1992. The newspaper placed spending by Bermuda lobbyists 28th in an international ranking, just behind Colombia, but just ahead of Russia.

The article provoked a letter to the Editor of The Royal Gazette from Mr.

Ashfield DeVent of Devonshire. He complained that the figure -- which did not include funds spent on tourism promotion -- was "amazing'' for a colony of 60,000 people.

Government took "a unique approach'' to finances, spending millions on lobbying, only to lose the American Base, and millions on an election campaign, only to lose seats in the House of Assembly, Mr. DeVent said in the letter.

A breakdown of lobbying monies spent in 1992 released to The Royal Gazette showed that most was on behalf of companies located in Bermuda.

The only lobbying money spent by the Bermuda Government in 1992 was $119,388.99 paid to Wunder, Diefenderfer, Ryan, Cannon & Thelen of Washington, DC., for the 12 months ended October 29, 1992.

That firm employs Bermuda lobbyist Mr. Ken Levine. A Government spokesman said Mr. Levine was heavily involved in lobbying on the US Base and excise tax issues and his job was "to keep a watching brief on what happens'' in Washington.

Also in 1992, Bermuda paid $57,846.82 to Ms Judith M. Whitmore of International Communications Consulting in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Ms Whitmore, who formerly had offices on the grounds of the Cabinet Building and in Information Services, is a public relations consultant who no longer works for the Bermuda Government, the spokesman said.

She helped Bermuda prepare for a World Economic Forum in Geneva and assisted in winning favourable mention for Bermuda in the international financial press, the spokesman said.

There were three separate accounts listed for the Department of Tourism in 1992.

Bermuda paid $15.2 million to Omnicom Group, Inc. of New York for advertising.

That payment covered the 12 months ending September 16, 1992.

The Tourism Department's New York office also spent $3.5 million on tourism promotion in 1992, the figures show.

And Tourism paid $1,303.40 to Tribune Films, Inc. of New York for film distribution.

All other funds listed in the Justice Department documents were spent on lobbying on behalf of private companies.

The amounts included $996,945 paid to Mayer, Brown & Platt of Washington, DC by the Bermuda-based Attorneys' Liability Assurance Society, Ltd., and $394,705 paid to the same firm by the Bermuda-based Accountants' Liability Assurance Co. Ltd.

The Attorneys' Liability Assurance Society, which has an office in Hamilton and recently held its annual general meeting on the Island, provides error and omission and directors and officers insurance for top American law firms.

The Accountants' Liability Assurance Company also has an office in Hamilton.

The Ad Hoc Insurance Group of Bermuda paid $10,995 to Strategic Policy, Inc.

of Washington, DC, for lobbying.

Cambridge Beaches Resort paid $9,119.23 to Ms Judith M. Whitmore of International Communications Consulting of Connecticut, for public relations work.