GROUP TRIES TO SINK TITANIC SHOW; SALVAGER ACCUSED OF PAYING LIP SERVICE TO ARTIFACT CONSERVATION.Byline: William J. Broad The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times The largest American showing of artifacts artifacts see specimen artifacts. from the Titanic, now on display in Memphis, Tenn., is being denounced by the International Congress of Maritime Museums. The organization, which has more than 300 members in 50 nations, says the company that mounted the exhibition of 300 Titanic objects has paid only lip service lip service n. Verbal expression of agreement or allegiance, unsupported by real conviction or action; hypocritical respect: to conservation and has failed to deal with the decaying wreckage of the ocean liner and its artifacts in a responsible way. Dr. Kevin Fewster, the museum group's president and director of the Australian National Maritime Museum The Australian National Maritime Museum, a maritime museum operated as a statutory authority of the Australian Government, is located at Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales. in Sydney, said the organization condemns the current display and opposes ``any efforts to show this exhibition'' unless the salvage company improves its preservation efforts. ``It is only a matter of time and money before the problems of Titanic arise with other sites,'' Fewster said in an interview, adding that leadership is needed to develop ethical guidelines of deep-sea recovery. The museum organization, whose base moves with its presidency, has never before censured a display. It did so, Fewster said in a news release that was given to The New York Times, only after working quietly with the salvage company for three years in a failed effort to raise standards. George Tulloch, president of the company, RMS Titanic The RMS Titanic, a British Olympic-class ocean liner, became famous as the largest ocean liner built in her day and also for sinking on her maiden voyage in 1912 with a huge loss of life. of New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , denied that artifact conservation has been inept or superficial and said his company is simply working in stages as it acquires more money for the effort. Public display of the best pieces is coming before the study, analysis and publication of other information saved from the deep sea. ``Our No. 1 priority has been to conserve these objects and share them with the public,'' Tulloch said in an interview. ``After that comes the sharing of the data with scholars. We're very proud of the work we have done to preserve the memory and objects of the Titanic. ``What we've accomplished should speak for itself.'' A team of American and French scientists hunting in the North Atlantic found the rusting hulk of the Titanic in 1985 about 2-1/2 miles down. The salvage company financed recovery voyages in 1987, 1993, 1994 and 1996. It has retrieved about 4,000 objects, stimulating the recent production of movies, cookbooks and exhibitions about the Titanic, which sank after it struck an iceberg in April 1912, killing more than 1,500 people. The Memphis display, part of the ``Wonders'' exhibition series, opened last month in the basement of the city's largest indoor sports arena and is to run through September. The show has been organized by the city, which hopes to turn a profit or at least invigorate in·vig·or·ate tr.v. in·vig·or·at·ed, in·vig·or·at·ing, in·vig·or·ates To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; animate: "A few whiffs of the raw, strong scent of phlox invigorated her" the local economy with tourism. Its sponsors include Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines and Federal Express, which is based in Memphis. On display are objects like gold coins Gold coins Coin minted in gold, such as the American Eagle or the Canadian Maple Leaf. , fine china, a steward's jacket, a bronze cherub cherub (chĕr`əb), plural cherubim, kind of angel. Cherubim were probably thought of in the ancient Middle East as composite creatures like the winged creatures of Assyria. In Jewish tradition, they are described (Ezek. and a jar of olives. Also displayed are delicate paper objects, including stock certificates, playing cards and love letters. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: The Titanic exhibit includes a mural of the ship's grand staircase. The New York Times |
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