all his efforts until the end of 1947. In January, 1948, M. Marchad, a 

 new appointee, took up his duties, followed in May of that year by M. 

 Durand, a former member of the staff and in December, 1948, another 

 new assistant, M. Deroux, arrived. In March, 1949, the new Director, 

 M. Drach, will assume his functions. The scientific personnel consists of : 

 M. Drach, Director, M. Serene, Assistant Director, in charge of the crusta- 

 cean laboratory ; M. Durand, Assistant, in charge of the fish laboratory ; 

 M. Deroux, Assistant, in charge of the plankton and coelenterate labora- 

 tory ; M. Marchad, in charge of the mollusc laboratory. 



Professor Drach, Professor in the Sciences Faculty of the University 

 of Paris, proposes to direct this team of biologists in the work of co- 

 ordinating the littoral ecology, and, by means of self-contained diving 

 equipment of the Cousteau type, to extend their researches beyond the 

 area revealed by the spring tides, as far as a depth of 6 metres. This 

 new technique- should make it possible to prepare a table showing the 

 various biological facies of the Indo-Chinese littoral zone, which will be a 

 new contribution to our knowledge of tropical coastal waters. 



Physical Oceanography 



Until 1942 work continued without notable modification according to 

 the general plan set out in 1936. For want of 'equipment and personnel 

 this work has not so far been resumed ; it is to recommence on 1st March, 

 1949. In 1950 a new assistant specializing in physical oceanography, 

 who is at present finishing his studies, wiU considerably widen the scope 

 of this branch of the laboratory activity. 



Hydrology 



During the period 1939-1942 these operations were confined to 

 measurements of temperature and salinity. Several thousand observa- 

 tions were made, both from a fixed point not far from the laboratory and 

 during the cruises of the laboratory trawler " De Lanessan " and other 

 vessels. The results have been published in the Reports of the Oceano- 

 graphic Institute of Indo-China. A paper entitled " On Annual 

 Variations in Temperature and Saline Content of Surface Sea-water at a 

 Fixed Point on the Annam Coast," which briefly summarizes some of 

 these observations, was presented at the Congress of the International 

 Association of Physical Oceanography at Oslo in August, 1948. 



During this period, owing to the lack of any vessel, the hydrological 

 gradients which formerly were prepared twice a year along the full length 

 of the Annam coast-line, have had to be discontinued. A single cruise 

 of the " De Lanessan " in 1939 made it possible to prepare a Saigon- 

 Batavia gradient. These hydrological gradients give a great deal of 

 information on coastal currents around Indo-China. Current movements 

 as affecting navigation, the biology of marine species, and fishing are aU 

 considered. No work has been done as yet on the utilizing of warm 

 waters. The laboratory has not yet a vessel adequate to undertake 

 these researches. No doubt by the end of 1949 one will be available. 



At the present time fixed points have been selected, convenient to 

 the laboratory, for the study of the variations in the rhythm of hydro- 

 logical gradients, particularly in order to study ascending currents at the 

 edge of the continental shelf and the distribution in coastal waters of the 

 fresh and brackish water brought down by the Nhatrang River. 



193 



7 — Pac. Congress 



