Form: SC 13D

Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities

June 3, 1997

SC 13D: Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities

Published on June 3, 1997





SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D
(Amendment No. 2)




Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



DATUM INC.
-----------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock
(Title or Class and Securities)


23820810
(CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

Donald C. Lewis
General Counsel
Ball Corporation
10 Longs Peak Drive
Broomfield, Colorado 80021-2510

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized
to Receive Notices and Communications)

June 3, 1997

(Date of Event which Requires
Filing of this Statement)


If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the subject of this Statement because of Rule 13d-1(b
(3) or (4), check the following: ( )

Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this Statement: ( )





SCHEDULE 13D
(Amendment No. 2)



CUSIP No. 23820810
_____________________________________________________________________________
(1) NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS

Ball Corporation
35-0160610

_____________________________________________________________________________
(2) CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP:
(a) ( )
(b) ( )

_____________________________________________________________________________
(3) SEC USE ONLY

_____________________________________________________________________________
(4) SOURCE OF FUNDS*
00

_____________________________________________________________________________
(5) CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)( )

_____________________________________________________________________________
(6) CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Indiana


_____________________________________________________________________________

NUMBER OF (7) SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY 0*
-----------------------------
OWNED BY (8) SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH 0*
-----------------------------
REPORTING (9) SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON
WITH 0*
-----------------------------
(10) SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

_____________________________________________________________________________
(11) AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
PERSON - 0*





_____________________________________________________________________________
(12) CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW 11 EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES* ( )

_____________________________________________________________________________
(13) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 11 Approximately 0% of
the shares outstanding as of June 3, 1997

_____________________________________________________________________________
(14) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
CO

*
On or after May 16, 1997, Efratom Holding, Inc. ("Holding"), a Colorado
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ball Corporation, ("Ball") or
("Parent") sold in the aggregate 817,778 shares (the "Shares") of common stock
of Datum Inc. on the following dates: May 16, May 21, May 22, May 27, May 28,
May 29 and May 30, 1997, for the sales prices per share reflected on Exhibit 1
attached hereto. These sales of Datum Inc. common stock constitute all of the
shares of Datum Inc. owned by Holding. As of June 3, 1997, Holding does not own
any Shares of Datum Inc. as reflected in Rows 11 and 13 of each of the tables
above, for purposes of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.

Item 1. Security and Issuer

Ball hereby incorporates by reference the information from
Item 1 of the 13D filed by Ball on March 27, 1995, and from Item 1,
Amendment No. 1, filed April 11, 1997. Additionally, effective on the
dates reflected above and on Exhibit 1, Holding sold in the aggregate
817,778 shares of Datum Inc. for the sales prices reflected on Exhibit
1.

Item 2. Identity and Background

Ball hereby incorporates the information from Item 2 of the
13D filed March 27, 1995, with respect to its 13D filing, as well as
from Item 2, Amendment No. 1, filed April 11, 1997. Ball hereby
provides a list of persons in Appendix A as of June 3, 1997. Neither
Parent nor Holding, nor, to the best of Parent's and Holding's
knowledge, any of the persons listed in Appendix A, has, during the
past five years, been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding
traffic violations and similar misdemeanors). Neither Parent nor
Holding, nor, to the best of Parent's and Holding's knowledge, any of
the persons listed in Appendix A., has, during the past five years,
been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body
of a competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or
is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future
violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to,
federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect
to such laws.

Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration

Ball hereby incorporates by reference Item 3 from its 13D
filing filed on March 27, 1995, as well as from Item 3, Amendment No.
1, filed April 11, 1997.




Item 4. Purpose of the Transaction

Ball hereby incorporates by reference information in Item 4
from its 13D filing dated March 27, 1995, as well as from Item 4 of
Amendment No. 1 filed April 11, 1997. On the dates reflected above and
on Exhibit 1, Holding sold 817,778 of Datum Inc. common stock for the
sales prices reflected on Exhibit 1.

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer

Ball hereby incorporates by reference the information in Item
5 of its previous 13D filing dated March 27, 1995, as well as Item 5,
Amendment No. 1, filed April 11, 1997. Ball hereby amends Item 5(a),
(b) by adding the following: On the dates in May 1997 set forth above
and on Exhibit 1, Holding sold in the aggregate 817,778 shares of Datum
Inc. common stock for the sales prices reflected on Exhibit 1.

Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relation-
ships With Respect to Securities of the Issuer

Ball hereby incorporates by reference the information in Item
6 of the 13D filing dated March 27, 1995, as well as Item 6, Amendment
No. 1, filed April 11, 1997. On the dates in May 1997 and on Exhibit 1,
set forth above, Holding sold in the aggregate 817,778 shares of Datum
Inc. common stock or all of the Shares owned by Holding. The common
stock was sold through two brokers, Hambrecht & Quist and Van Kasper &
Company.

Item 7. Material to be Filed as Exhibits

Ball and Holding incorporate by reference the information in
Item 7 of the 13D filing dated March 27, 1995, as well as Item 7,
Amendment No. 1, filed April 11, 1997.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief,
the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this Statement is
true, complete and correct.

Date: June 3, 1997
BALL CORPORATION

By: /s/ GEORGE A. SISSEL
George A. Sissel
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer

EFRATOM HOLDING, INC.

By: /s/ DONALD C. LEWIS
Donald C. Lewis
Vice President and Secretary




APPENDIX A


The following tables set forth the name, residence or business address
and present principal occupation or employment of each director and executive
officer of Ball Corporation and Efratom Holding, Inc. Each such person is a
citizen of the United States of America with the exception of Raymond J.
Seabrook who is a resident of the United States and a citizen of Canada.

A. Directors and Executive Officers of Ball Corporation

Reporting Person Address Principal Occupation

DIRECTORS:

Frank A. Bracken 345 South High Street Attorney, Bingham Summers
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Welsh & Spilman,
Indianapolis, Indiana

Howard M. Dean 345 South High Street Chairman of the Board and
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Chief Executive Officer,
Dean Foods Company,
Franklin Park, Illinois

John T. Hackett 345 South High Street Managing General Partner,
Muncie, Indiana 47305 CID Equity Partners,
Indianapolis, Indiana

R. David Hoover 345 South High Street Executive Vice President and
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Chief Financial Officer
Ball Corporation,
Muncie, Indiana

John F. Lehman 345 South High Street Chairman, J. F. Lehman &
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Company, New York,
New York

George McFadden 345 South High Street General Partner,
Muncie, Indiana 47305 McFadden Brothers,
New York, New York

Ruel C. Mercure, Jr. 345 South High Street
Muncie, Indiana 47305

Jan Nicholson 345 South High Street Managing Director of
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Capital Markets Assurance
Corporation (CapMAC),
New York, New York

George A. Sissel 345 South High Street Chairman, President and
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Chief Executive Officer,
Ball Corporation

William P. Stiritz 345 South High Street Chairman and Chief
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Executive Officer,
Ralston Purina Company,
St. Louis, Missouri





CORPORATE OFFICERS:

Richard E. Durbin 345 South High Street Vice President, Information
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Services

Donald C. Lewis 10 Longs Peak Drive Vice President, Assistant
Broomfield, Colorado Corporate Secretary and
80038 General Counsel

Barbara J. Miller 345 South High Street Assistant Corporate Secretary
Muncie, Indiana 47305

Elizabeth A. Overmyer 345 South High Street Corporate Secretary
Muncie, Indiana 47305

Douglas E. Poling 345 South High Street Treasurer
Muncie, Indiana 47305

Albert R. Schlesinger 345 South High Street Vice President and Controller
Muncie, Indiana 47305

Raymond J. Seabrook 345 South High Street Vice President, Planning
Muncie, Indiana 47305 and Control

Harold L. Sohn 345 South High Street Vice President, Corporate
Muncie, Indiana 47305 Relations

David A. Westerlund 345 South High Street Vice President, Administration
Muncie, Indiana 47305

B. Directors and Executive Officers of Efratom Holding, Inc.

Donald W. Vanlandingham 10 Longs Peak Drive President and Director
Broomfield, Colorado
80038

R. David Hoover 345 South High Street Director
Muncie, Indiana 47305

George A. Sissel 345 South High Street Director
Muncie, Indiana 47305

Donald C. Lewis 10 Longs Peak Drive Vice President and Secretary
Broomfield, Colorado
80038

W. Keith Tipton 10 Longs Peak Drive Assistant Secretary
Broomfield, Colorado
80038

J. Patrick Dummigan 10 Longs Peak Drive Vice President
Broomfield, Colorado
80038

Eugene P. Morgan 10 Longs Peak Drive Vice President and
Broomfield, Colorado Treasurer
80038





Exhibit 1

Datum
Shares Sold


Date of Sale Number Shares Sales Price

5/16/97 50,000 $24.25

5/21/97 25,000 $24.00

5/21/97 100,000 $24.25

5/22/97 5,000 $24.50

5/22/97 50,000 $24.25

5/27/97 50,000 $24.25

5/28/97 3,000 $24.42

5/28/97 175,000 $24.25

5/29/97 342,778 $24.00

5/30/97 17,000 $24.00

June 3, 1997




U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Attention: Filer Support
Mail Stop 0-7
6432 General Green Way
Alexandria, VA 22312

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Transmitted herewith is Ball Corporation's Schedule 13D (Amendment No. 2) dated
June 3, 1997.

Yours truly,




Robert W. McClelland
Associate General Counsel