The idea has not (to my knowledge) been made illegal, it is just the sheer task, and cost, that will cause it to stay as nothing more than fiction.

Is there nothing that Ballard can do to stop these people from salvaging any more artifacts?

Doubt it or else he would of done it by now. But why did he not file for ownership?

he didn't believe in anyone owning the titanic

I don't know about you guys but I would feel more comfortable knowing that Ballard owned the ship. He would keep it untouched. But then again it is only a question of time before technology becomes so available that anyone can visit the wreck. And it wouldn't be possible to keep a keen eye on the wreck all the time.

Yeah, as if they would have police for that...

Ballard opened the Pandora's Box on the discovery. At the rate they are going now in 10-15 years most everything will be gathered from the wreck site and this topic will be mute.

Was it not ballard that said he wanted some sort of underwater musem, now doing that for Titanic, is a bit difficult, but doing it for Britannic, would be feasable, now that would be really good.

I wouldn't try to go into the titanic but the thought of going into the brittanic is excellent, i have always had a fear that if i went under the ship would collapse right on top of myself

I think the idea was you would see around the ship, I don't think health and safety, will allow you to go through something, in as bad structural condition.

There is one name that has not even been mentioned that is really relavant to the salvaging of the Titanic, George Tulloch. But I will start a new thread for that.