OCEANOGRAPHY EST THE UNITED STATES 95 



Mr. McKernan. I have no information on towboats. 



Mr. Oliver. I should expect you would not. 



Mr. McKernan. My experience is in oceanographic and fishing 

 vessels. 



Mr. Oliver. I was wondering if there was any similarity there so 

 far as average costs are concerned or whether there could be any simi- 

 lar amount involved in a vessel operating under your supervision and 

 one operating in private industry. 



Mr. McKerxan. There would be if they were doing similar vrork. 

 For example, fishing vessel operations are more like ours except that 

 we are required to keep our boats in much better condition than fish- 

 ing boats. For example, none of the fishing boats is under Coast 

 Guard inspection. 



We keep ours up at considerable extra expense to meet Coast Guard 

 and American Bureau of Shipping standards and many of the fishing 

 boats do not. 



Mr. Oli\-er. By the way, this Alhafross^ as I understand it, has been 

 declared seaworthy by the U.S. Coast Guard. 



Mr. McKerxan. That is correct. She is seaworthy. 



Mr. Oli\ter. "Wlien they say "seaworthy," does that mean that it is 

 capable of taking on any particular work that is necessary out in a 

 deep ocean in offshore work ? 



Mr. McKerkax. At that time : yes. In other words, I would be will- 

 ing to sail on the Albatross if she were operating right now. It might 

 break down but I do not think it would sink. 



Mr. Oliver. Would that not be true with the Delaware^ too ? Might 

 the Delaware not break down ? 



Mr. McKernax. Yes ; except that the Delaware is a much younger 

 vessel. 



Mr. Oliver. Was not the Albatross given a major repair job by the 

 Navy i They were using it, were they not, during the war? 



Mr. McKerxax. I do not think they ever used it. All they did 

 was get it ready for use and tested it for a number of hours and I 

 do not think they ever used it. I have seen some of the information 

 that you may have had. I had a letter to that effect. I do not be- 

 lieve that information is quite correct. I think we overhauled it at 

 a cost of about $125,000 but this does not affect the hull and other 

 essential parts of the structure itself. We put on a new super- 

 structure and made her usable for research work to the best that her 

 basic design would allow. 



Mr. Oliver. I see. What would be the comparative operating cost 

 between the Delatoare and iho- Albatross per month ? 



Mr. McKerxax. The Alhatross probably cost $3,000 or $4,000 per 

 month more than the Delaware. 



Mr. Oliver. Now, on the $3,000 or $4,000 additional cost, how much 

 larger scientific personnel force could be carried or has been carried 

 on the Albatross as compared to the Delaware ? 



Mr. McKerxax^. The Alhatross has carried 17, because she has been 

 used for oceanogi-aphic research work. 



The DelavmrehdiS been operated as much as possible as a fishing boat 

 so that she carries the same crew as a fisliing boat and she is operated 

 with 11. 



The scientific crew is your request ? 



Mr. Oliver. Yes. 



