OCEANOGRAPHY 



REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON 

 OCEANOGRAPHY 



REPORT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL 

 COMMITTEE ON THE OCEANOGRAPHY OF THE PACIFIC 



By Thomas G. Thompson (Chairman of the Standing Committee), 



University of Washington 



Over a decade has passed since the present chairman of the International 

 Committee on the Oceanography of the Pacific presented his report to 

 the Sixth Pacific Science Congress which was held in the United States. 

 The international committee at that time was well organized, due largely 

 to the magnificent efforts of Dr. T. Way land Vaughan, the previous 

 chairman. Most of the members of this committee were chairmen of 

 their respective national committees, and much had been done by them 

 to promote numerous oceanographic investigations in many parts of 

 the Pacific. 



Since that time we have lived through the greatest war in history. 

 For over six years the efforts of the scientists of the warring nations 

 were diverted to problems of immediate military or national importance, 

 and recently to the perplexing problems of reconstruction. This period 

 through which we have passed has also witnessed marked tendencies for 

 social and economic changes due to the advances in science and technology. 

 The remarkable achievements in aviation have literally produced a 

 shrunken world. The distance from New Zealand to North z\merica, 

 for example, is no longer measured in weeks, but now in hours for traversal. 

 Seattle and Vancouver are closer to Auckland to-day than they were to 

 New York and Montreal twenty years ago. The United Nations Organi- 

 zation has come into being. Within its structure are commissions vitally 

 concerned with human progress through education and scientific research. 

 We, gathered here and representing the scientists interested in the 

 greatest of all the oceans, are most desirous to play a part in furthering 

 the functions and accomplishments of the world organization by giving 

 special attention to the Pacific. 



During the years of conflict many trends in scientific thought and 

 endeavour were catalyzed. Huge sums of money were made available 

 for research. Programmes of investigation were planned and initiated 

 to a degree almost undreamed a decade ago. The results of these investi- 

 gations used at the time to further the subjugation of an enemy can now 

 be applied in the cause of peace for promoting human welfare and to 

 stimulate the acquisition of further knowledge. Scientists of various 

 specialties as well as nationalities learned to plan and work together toward 

 solutions of complex problems. The results obtained emphasized again 

 the importance of team work. 



Some months ago the chairman of this Committee on the Oceano- 

 graphy of the Pacific made attempts to reorganize his group in anticipation 

 for the preparation of a report to the Seventh Pacific Science Congress. 

 It was found that some of our colleagues had died, others had retired and 

 still others were of the opinion that they were no longer in a position to 



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