LETTER OPEN TO THE PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATION: " THE SCHOOL OF DETECTION " AS WELL AS ALL ITS MEMBERS

I read with much interest your article which has just appeared in the magazine Détection Passion and which you present to the readers your association. The objectives by the latter seem to me completely creditable and go certainly in the common sense. I believe not, indeed, that we will be able to reduce the dissensions which currently exist between prospectors and archaeologists if we do not have, in France, an associative movement extremely and person in charge. Unfortunately, force is to note, that associations are currently too very few and their goals not always clearly definite to be able to operate a mediation between the practise of detection and the services archaeological. The ideal would not be it the existence of a powerful national association, with the objectives distinctly stated, which would have as a task to represent, near the public authorities, the majority of the prospectors ' Those, in any case, which wish to contribute to discovered and, especially, with the safeguarding of our inheritance.

Because there is well deprives on the matter, recognize it. See side of the specialized press. How many magazines today to the sale can be regarded as independent of any commercial step ' None. I would not make you the affront quote them, we know them all. Under cover of the statute of the law of 1901, the " dream-merchants " took the benevolent appearance of good Samaritans. They protest, with length of pages, being our defenders in the conflict which opposes to us with our detractors. While at the same time the only interests which they defend are above all their, since we represent their goodwill. It is detrimental that so many prospectors are left still to misuse by people of which the only goal, finally, is purely mercantile.

In the context which is ours today, it regularly reaches us the echo of the problems encountered by such or such honest prospector which declares its lucky find. The hour is thus not with proselytism as some think it. A significant increase in the number of prospectors in France, taking into account the bad current state of the relations between practise of detection and archaeologists, could lead the public authorities to make radical decisions. Initially let us try to gather within associations most of those which share our ambitions. These associations must be (as you named yours so well) of the " Schools of Detection" where not only one teaches the practice of the prospection on the ground but also where one learns how to be a responsible practitioner. It is of primary importance that these associations have an educational role with respect to their members. It is only in this only condition that we will manage to found a climate of confidence between our detractors and ourselves. Remember, we will be judged with our actes'

I wish you, Chers Membres, of living detection such as you dreamed it and, to your association, very long life.

Jean F.

LETTER OF A ARCHEOLOGUE: (we received many others of it)

Paris on January 21, 1998.

Mr. President,

I read the article which presents your association in the last number of " Detection Passion " that I receive following the recent purchase of a metal detector, and your step of opening to the archaeologists appears at the same time positive to me and constructive. I am myself professional archaeologist, and I am interested by the installation of a co-operation with the prospectors whom you represent, within the framework, naturally, of the regulation in force on the protection of the archaeological inheritance.

In addition, and if that interests you, I am been willing to present to your members the techniques and the regulation of the archaeological inventory.

In waiting of your answer, please receive, Mr. President, the expression of my best feelings.

LETTER OF A PROSPECTOR:

Nancy on February 5, 1998.

Mr. President,

I fully approve the orientations of your association such as you stated them in the magazine Détection Passion published recently. As a practitioner of detection, I personally made a point of letting you know that I support you in your action.

You will find herewith a letter open that I allow myself to address to you personally, to you, like, if you authorize it there to me, with all your members. This open letter does not claim to bring the solutionS to all the problems which we encounter, within the framework of our leisure, with the public authorities. But more simply to formulate pêle-mixes some ideas of a general nature in which, you and your members, perhaps, you will find. It is by confronting the points of view of each one that, certainly, we will advance.

Deprived of employment and the social minima being what they are, at the present time, I do not have, unfortunately, financial means to adhere to your association. I am really extremely sorry!

By addressing to you my wishes of perenniality for your association, please receive, Mr. President, my most cordial greetings.

As we could multiply with the desire the examples, we make you grace of it. So long.