From Professor James Beck and Professor Piero Pierotti

Sir,
The courteous letter from Professor John B. Burland (July 23) concerning the heated controversy over the Leaning Tower of Pisa is most welcome. Nonetheless, your report of July 18 ("Experts wrangle over best angle") referred to certain of our observations which clearly justify our criticism of the commission in charge.

These are:
1. The proposed steel cables represent the fourth "provisional" solution projected for the Tower between 1990 and today.
2. The definitive project (the one outlined by Professor Burland) does not exist as yet. The experiments to verify whether it can be put into operation have been postponed to the beginning of 1999, by which time the present commission's assignment will be over.

The commission is consuming more time for the approval of the project than was required for moving the temples of Abu Simbel. Disagreements within the commission itself are not a minor reason for such delays.

Sincerely,
JAMES BECK,
Columbia University,
jameshbeck@aol.com

PIERO PIEROTTI,
University of Pisa,
Edelboden Superior 12,
10020 Gressoney la Trinité
(Aosta), Italy.

July 31.