72 OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 



Mr. Denison. I can say generally that we know little about the sea 

 and to get along with our scheduled research and development activ- 

 ity we should have a lot more information than we do have. We are 

 not an agency large enough to support fundamental research, so we 

 must depend for basic research on other sources, either academic or 

 governmental. When we go to them for particular information it is 

 not there. We would say that a great deal of work should be done if 

 we are to get along with our desires to make ocean shipping more 

 effective, that is, to design ships better. 



Mr. Miller. Do you know whether any other nations in the world 

 are doing anything in this field ? 



Mr. Denison. I know there is a certain amount going on. It is 

 supposed to be coordinated to a certain extent through this IGY. I 

 do not know well enough to report, sir. 



Mr. Miller. Mr. Russo ? 



Mr. Russo. I would be reiterating the same points, sir. 



Mr. Miller. Then I take it, Mr. Morse, that you and your staff 

 feel that there is a real need for coordinated and comprehensive study 

 to be made in this field and that it would be to the advantage of the 

 Maritime Administration if this knowledge that is lacking was avail- 

 able to it through such an effort ? 



Mr. Morse. Certainly insofar as it affects our activities we are do- 

 ing research to a limited degree as it has a direct impact upon our 

 activities and we do not begin to have the necessary information that 

 we require to improve our efficiency. 



Mr. Miller. Of course, in the field of science, are we not going into 

 this thing to get the complete picture of the ocean, the things above 

 it and below it so that you cannot narrow it down and say, "We are 

 only going to study this particular phase that affects us" because if 

 you go into it you will find that you have to use data that seem far 

 afiield from the point that you are seeking. Is that true ? 



Mr. Russo. That sounds reasonable to me. 



Mr. Denison. I think Mr. Morse's statement said we were inter- 

 ested in the atmosphere above the sea, the water surface and the land 

 beneath it. We never know nor can we forecast at what time we will 

 want information which someone else is going to think is important 

 and we at the moment think is unimportant. 



Mr. Miller. Am I presuming in saying that the information you 

 want or that you need at a specific time or maybe information 3'ou 

 need today was apparently gathered by people in the field who at the 

 time they gathered it had no direct thought that it might apply to, 

 say, the design of a ship ? 



Mr. Denison. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Miller. In other words, you cannot limit scientific investiga- 

 tion to any narrow channel, is that true ? 



Mr. Denison. No, sir. It is fundamental Imowledge and you need 

 fimdamental knowledge. 



Mr. Miller. It is fundamental knowledge. That is right. 



Do you think that this committee should continue tliis investiga- 

 tion stimulated and brought about by the report of the Committee 

 on Oceanography of the Academy of Sciences ? 



You have read that report, I presume? 



Mr. Morse. Yes, sir. 



