OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 239 



Mr. Drewry. Is the pay scale the same on the Delofuoure as it was 

 on the Albatross? 



Captain Hjller. Yes, they are. Because in order to do the job, in 

 order to bring the Delaware up to the Albatross^ they hire just for the 

 trip on the Delaicare. I suppose that saves some money. 



Mr. Drewry. The crew on the Albatross has been with it for some 

 time'^ 



Captain Hiller. Most of them had been on there several years. You 

 probably know the ship has quite a history of laying up due to lack 

 of money. When I went on a year ago in March, I was told we might 

 have to lay up due to lack of money to run the ship for the rest of the 

 year. That wasn't done because maybe they borrowed from the next 

 year. But my understanding is the scientists doing the research work 

 shouldn't be worrying about money. But our men at Woods Hole have 

 spent 50 percent of their time scratching their heads to find out where 

 the money is coming from. 



When we run out of money, maybe we have broken the underwater 

 television, we take $500 out of the scallop fund and put it in the 

 underwater television. I got the feeling the scientists felt we were a 

 great steel monster, using up their money and the Albatross had lost 

 it. I don't think that is true. I believe a reasonable budget could 

 be worked out for the ship, and we could live in it. 



I was given a budget in March, just before we went off and I was 

 well within the budget and in fact was going to have money left over. 

 Asking in the office about that they said that was just a paper budget, 

 actually there was no money. I was given a paper budget but was well 

 within it. 



We had a job done in the shipyard last year that might be called 

 a major job. We put on a new deck that was $4,200, but actually more 

 than that is spent on a commercial ship every year. You saw the 

 rust on her this morning, but we were going to bring it up. 



Mr. Drewry. Just one more question. You have been going to sea 

 about 18 or 19 years. Would you say the Albatross handled satis- 

 factorily at sea ? 



Captain Hiller. Oh, yes ; she is a fine ship. The first trip I made 

 on her we hit hurricane winds off Halifax, 83 miles an hour, and she 

 handled fine. Her length was increased to 184 feet and she is still 

 only 23 feet wide. There are many refinements you would like if you 

 are building a new vessel, but she never gave us any trouble. 



Mr. Drewry. Were there ever any complaints from the scientists 

 about the laboratory facilities ? 



Captain Hiller. Not from any that had been out on a commercial 

 ship or the Delaware. We have facilities the others don't have. I 

 don't remember any complaints about the facilities. They have spa- 

 cial rooms for the scientists, and they have ample heads. They have 

 a wet lab and a dry lab. They have space where the scientists can do 

 their work. I mean there was no comparison between the two ships, 

 the Delaioare and the Albatross. The ship was ample and sufficiently 

 seaworthy to do the job. 



Mr. Donahue. I want the captain to read this into the record in 

 regard to the handling of the vessel. 



