speak with authority for their countries or their organizations. The 

 prospects were rather discouraging. However, after correspondence with 

 Dr. Gilbert Archey, Secretary-general of this Congress, a plan of operation 

 was initiated, and I am most grateful to Dr. Archey for his advice and 

 suggestions. 



There was considerable exchange of correspondence with various 

 governmental authorities, research organizations, and individual scientists 

 in the several countries. Many of the letters received in reply told much 

 the same story — namely, reorganization still in progress to meet peace- 

 time conditions, difficulty of securing equipment and personnel, unsettled 

 conditions, extensive programmes for oceanographic research still in the 

 planning stage, and generally the hopeful anticipation for funds. 



However, excellent reports were received from many, and these are 

 given in the Appendix attached hereto. 



Since the meetings of the Sixth Pacific Science Congress much con- 

 centrated attention has been given to the oceanography of the Pacific. 

 This resulted, to a large extent during the war, from the continuous 

 demand of military authorities for general oceanographic knowledge, for 

 details concerning the currents in different parts of the ocean, for the 

 necessity of predicting sea swells and waves, for requests for information 

 concerning the variations and the depths of the thermoclines of many 

 areas, the distribution of temperature and salinity gradients, and the 

 nature of the topography of the ocean bottom in many localities. There 

 was also a demand for information as to the distribution and abundance 

 of fish as a source of food in the several areas. 



The means of presenting some of these results as well as reports of 

 special oceanographic activities and research programmes of many 

 laboratories will be through the excellent programme arranged by Mr. 

 A. W. B. Powell, organizing chairman of the Division of Oceanography, 

 and likewise the representative of New Zealand on the International 

 Committee. This programme may therefore be considered as part of the 

 report of the International Committee on Oceanography in its attempt 

 to give to the Congress a comprehensive understanding of the recent 

 advances in tlie oceanography of the Pacific. 



Undoubtedly the chief factor that has aided in the acquisition of 

 oceanographic knowledge has been the improvement and development 

 of many interesting and useful instruments. Some of these instruments 

 were devised and perfected during the war at the Woods Hole Oceano- 

 graphic Institution in Massachusetts working in co-operation with 

 agencies of the United Kingdom as well as those of the United States. 



It is interesting to refer to records of earlier meetings of this Pacific 

 Science Association. There are statements there made lamenting the 

 lack of soundings in all parts of the Pacific beyond the continental shelves. 

 It is stated that there was one sounding in deep water for each ten 

 thousand square miles of ocean. The time, labour, and expense involved 

 in securing just one sounding was considerable, and even the accuracy 

 of the soundings available was questioned. 



The fathometer, an instrument developed during the past several 

 decades in the United States and Great Britain, was further perfected 

 during the war. Sound travels through sea- water at nearly 1,500 metres 

 per second. The fathometer operates on the principle of measuring 

 the time-interval required for a sound emitted from the hull of a vessel 

 to travel to the ocean bottom and there be echoed back to the vessel, 



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