179 



It is my opinion [he said] that there is a steadily growing ground swell of 

 informed public opinion rising against the thought of a poorly planned, foolish, 

 and extremely costly attempt to unnecessarily "shoot the works" by trying to drill 

 an ultradeep hole to the mantle before we have anywhere near enough informa- 

 tion on the rocks above the mantle to know intelligently what we are doing * * *. 

 The initial false glamour of the Mohole idea is wearing off in the face of 

 realities, and I am sure the informed public now finds a much greater appeal 

 in a broad, sensible program of crustal investigation carried on at a moderate 

 rate rather than a crash Mohole stunt.** 



Moreover, there were sound technical reasons why the intermediate 

 "experimental-exploratory stage" should not be bypassed. An inter- 

 mediate drilling vessel should be built and tested because of — 



(1) The greater mobility of such a smaller vessel and its ability to move 

 readily from one ocean to another ; 



(2) The lesser delay involved in its construction and the consequent 

 advantage of earlier returns of data ; 



(3) The need for experience with a moderate-depth drilling vessel in 

 order to decide what should be the final character of the ultimate vessel ; 



(4) The advantage of having further experience available for utilization 

 in the design and construction of drilling equipment ; 



(5) The need for continuing investigation of alternative and supple- 

 mentary sites during the long interval in which the ultimate vessel will 

 be tied up on its initial Mohole effort, estimated at maybe 2 or 3 years : 



(6) The overall long-range economy to the project which it could effect 

 in terms of results obtained for money expended ; and 



(7) The fact that such an intermediate vessel would find immense and 

 continuing service in the long-range national investigation of ocean crustal 

 sediments which is quite certainly to be anticipated after the immediate 

 objectives of the Mohole project have been fulfilled." 



The information that would be acquired from the operation of an 

 intermediate drilling vessel would be meritorious in itself, as well as 

 essential to the proper planning of the ultimate Mohole project: 



(1) The information to be obtained from a number of strategically located, 

 moderate depth, oceanic holes is essential to the proper choice of the best loca- 

 tion for a Mohole. 



(2) The information from such holes is essential background for adequate 

 interpretation of the results of a Mohole when drilled. 



(3) The information which can be obtained from any one of the moderate 

 depth holes will be, at this stage in our knowledge, a contribution to science 

 and national prestige at least equally as great as may be expected from pene- 

 tration of the Mohole, and can be attained much earlier and more certainly. 



(4) The drilling of moderate depth holes in oceanic waters will furnish 

 invaluable experience in vessel design and drilling techniques for use in ultimate 

 Mohole drilling, which may very conceivably mean the difference between 

 success and failure in attaining the ultimate objectives of the project. 



(5) Experience and knowledge gained in preparatory drilling may well result 

 in overall long-range economy and reduction in costs for the project as a whole. 



(6) The more easily accomplished initial moderate depth holes will provide 

 definite insurance for the success of the project, regardless of success or failure 

 to reach the Moho, by the early attainment of other goals of major importance, 



(7) The program of the intermediate stage approach is in harmony with the 

 broad framework of the project as previously approved by Congress.^* 



Hedberg criticized the "narrow and oversimplified concept" that had 

 developed of the project. The geology of the earth had been misrepre- 

 sented; in reality the picture was infinitely more complicated and 

 confused. Not one hole but many holes of various depths and at various 

 locations were needed to reveal the true situation. He did not tliinkr 

 it made sense to "strain wildly for a single deep hole to the mantle'" 



"Mohole project, Hearings, op. clt., p. 45. 



'" Ibid., pp. 44-45. 

 5« Ibid., pp. 44-45. 



