OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 203 



We have been successful, and primarily the work has been carried 

 out by the technical bureaus of the Navy, in developing a series of in- 

 struments which permit us to probe the ocean from an aircraft flying 

 over it at high speed. You can appreciate that our coverage will be 

 expanded enormously when this plan matures and I think we can say 

 that we will have this plane in commission and configured within the 

 year. 



This will take care of our immediate foreseeable needs. As we 

 study the problem of the demands of the merchant marine as they 

 come within the scope of the Hydrograi:)hic Office and as the military 

 requirements which you will understand primarily guard our think- 

 ing over this matter, we will ask for appropriate additions to our 

 fleet. 



Mr. CuRTiN. Thank you. That is all. 



Mr. Miller. How big is the San Pablo? 



Captain Munsox. Those, sir, are small converted AUP's. Their 

 tonnage is around 2,800. They are not perhaps the best ships in the 

 world that one can use but we are perfectly happy to compromise with 

 them. Since they are old they have outlived any military usefulness. 

 They are World War II babies. Their original use was as a small 

 advanced base for seaplane operations. They have little use in the 

 modem naval picture and we are happy to use them. 



The Coast and Geodetic Survey has been using one for many years. 



Mr. Miller. Have you a ship in this year's budget ? 



Captain Munson. No, sir. The hrst vessel for the Hydrographic 

 Office will occur in 1961. I have been advif^ed by an informative au- 

 thority that I will have one hydrographic survey ship and one ocea- 

 nographic survey ship programed for 1961. Up to that time we shall 

 have to make do with conversions which are quite efficient. Actually, 

 if you w\ant the entire truth about the difference between a conversion 

 and a new construction survey vessel, in the long haul they seem to be 

 convinced that the new vessel is cheaper. Momentarily, of course, you 

 make savings by converting. The requirements for a survey vessel, 

 either oceanographic or hydrograj^hic, are modest. It is not a sophis- 

 ticated ship. There are a number of standard ships that readily adapt 

 themselves to it. 



Our two big overseas hydrographic vessels that are equipped to do 

 a complete cartographic job even to lithogi*aphing the chart on board 

 are medium size, small, one-shot transports left over from World War 

 II. They have a number of years of life left in them and we find 

 them extremely productive and quite well fitted for the job. 



Mr. Miller. How about this plane 'i Is that programed or is that 

 taken care of within the budget? 



Captain Munson. That is not programed because the requirement 

 has not yet been formally laid out, but it has been discussed with the 

 proper authorities over in the Pentagon and we are assured of com- 

 plete support on it, and its need has now been shown to be miques- 

 tionable. 



Mr. Miller. Mr. Dingell. 



Mr. Dingell. I have no questions, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Miller. Counsel. 



38170—59 14 



