106 EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS 



The BROWN BEAR, belonging to the Fish and Wildlife Service, 

 was made available to the University in the spring of 1951. The first 

 year was largely spent in remodeling the vessel for oceanographic work. 

 Although used intensively during the past eighteen months, certain 

 installations still remain to be completed. The vessel is outfitted with 

 all the conventional types of navigational and oceanographic gear, and 

 perhaps her most unusual feature is the number of accommodations 

 aboard. In order to provide for classes there are, in addition to cabins 

 for the crew of eleven, cabins and bunks for a maximum of twenty-two 

 in the scientific party. For short overnight cruises as many as thirty- 

 five have been accommodated. Two major survey programs are being 

 carried on. The first involves monthly cruises in the inland waters of 

 the State of Washington, planned to provide comprehensive data for 

 the interpretation of the seasonal cycles, the year-to-year variations, 

 and to provide a basic understanding of the physical processes that 

 maintain and control the general physical, chemical and biological con- 

 ditions. The second program is directed toward an understanding of 

 the currents, distribution of properties, and general oceanography of 

 the oceanic waters. Some preliminary results of the second program 

 are to be presented elsewhere at this Congress (Paquette and Barnes). 

 The BROWN BEAR has also been employed on many special projects 

 as well as for a floating classroom and laboratory for the students. 

 When a smaller vessel is adequate, the Department uses the MV On- 

 corhynchus, a 55-foot research vessel maintained by the School of Fish- 

 eries, and during the summer the MV Hydah that is chartered for the 

 use of the Friday Harbor Laboratories. 



As is true of all the oceanographic activities in the United States, 

 the large growth that has occurred since World War II is chiefly the 

 result of the support provided by national and state agencies, in this 

 case by the Office of Naval Research. Three such contract programs 

 have been carried on. One is a general contract in support of basic 

 oceanographic research; the second has covered the operations of the 

 MV BROWN BEAR; and the third was a Literature Survey, financed 

 by the Hydrographic Office, to bring together all available data and 

 knowledge pertaining to the Puget Sound area. Additional support has 

 been received from the Bonneville Power Administration for a detailed 

 study of a transect of Puget Sound where it is planned to install a sub- 

 marine power line. The size of the cable sheath, about 30 cm. the 

 distance of about 6 km., and the fact that the cable must traverse steep 

 slopes and a maximum depth of over 200 meters, raised innumerable 

 engineering problems that required oceanographic information. The 

 Department has devoted particular attention to the detailed microto- 



