As iron spikes and nails were rusted away this breaking up increased in tempo. After 50 years the wreck would be reduced to the wood of her sides and lower deck, already porous from the attacks of borers. In light of these facts, it is curious indeed that this radical side of the spectrum demands all underwater remnants of the past should be left to disintegrate and not be removed for public display. They believe the government should own all shipwrecks and relics. This philosophy includes restrictive legislation regarding both land and underwater discoveries, placing such sites off-limits to the public and the use of law enforcement agencies to insure the laws are followed.
Proponents also demand complete control over such sites.
They, in turn, will dictate all things regarding relics including whether or not one can build on his own property. They also wish to own all relics, even if they' re found in your own backyard. For the most part, this has been the decided course of action in the United States. First and foremost is the obvious fact that the vast majority of wrecks are deteriorating at an alarming rate. There is no way to stop the deterioration, no way to slow it down.