66 OCEANOGRAPHY 



ITiit.il 1947, the various programs of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, 

 inchiding our work in oceanogi-aphy, were conducted pursuant to au- 

 thority contained in a number of legislative enactments and executive 

 directives promulgated over the period of our 140 years of existence. 

 Enactment of Public Law 373, 80th Congress, gave us a sound and 

 comprehensive statutory basis for the performance of the many func- 

 tions, including research in oceanography, for which we feel we have 

 the facilities and technical skill. With the addition of Public Law 

 86-409 our legislative authority is adequate to assure authorization for 

 any work we may be called upon to undertake in the field of oceanog- 

 raphy. 



Sections 7(b) and 8(a) of H.K 9361 and H.R. 12018 provide for 

 the establishment of an Oceanographic Data Center within the De- 

 partment of Commerce. Since H.E. 12018 is more definitive in out- 

 lining the functions of the Center, our comments will be in reference 

 to that bill rather than to the sections of H.R. 9361. 



There is already in existence at the Hydrographic Office of the 

 Navy Department a vast collection of oceanographic data which is 

 tabulated on punchcards. In order to avoid a duplication of personnel 

 and machines, we believe that the Oceanographic Data Center should 

 be continued at the Hydrographic Office. If it is expanded as pro- 

 posed, provision should be made for responsibility for its direction, 

 operation, and financing to be shared with the civilian agencies in- 

 terested in oceanography. We visualize that this joint operation 

 would include assignment of personnel from the civilian agencies to 

 the Data Center. In this way we will be able to assure that our 

 civilian as w^ell as military data needs will be adequately met. 



Our relations with the Hydrographic Office have been most satis- 

 factory and we believe that such an arrangement would work to the 

 satisfaction of all concerned. However, we believe the functions that 

 would be assigned to the center by H.R. 12018 are too broadly stated. 



As now written, H.R. 12018 would relegate all participating agen- 

 cies to the role of data gathering organizations and would apparently 

 authorize the data center to perform activities in a wide range of 

 scientific fields not all necessarily related to oceanography. 



We believe that the activities of the center should be restricted to 

 data which is definitely related to the field of oceanography. We 

 feel that the center should not assume nor duplicate, except by mu- 

 tual agreement, any of the functions which are assigned to or author- 

 ized to be conducted by any other agency. 



Section 2 of H.R. 12018 would authorize the establishment of a 

 national instrumentation test and calibration center. If such a center 

 is established we believe there would be a definite advantage in having 

 the testing center operated in conjunction with the data center in 

 order that the results of the tests and calibrations would be readily 

 available to those processing the data. This would assure uniformity 

 in the reduction of records. 



I have another statement here noAV on what we are doing and what 

 we jdan to do. Would you care for me to read this at this time, Mr. 

 Chairman ? 



Mr. Mlller. Suppose we discuss this one now and then we will take 

 the other one up after we get through. 



