82 OCEANOGRAPHY 



Mr. Miller. Mr. Ciirtm. 



Mr. CuRTix. I liave no questions, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Miller. Mr. Oliver? 



Mr. Oliver. The Const Guard is represented on this interagency 

 committee ? 



Admiral HiRsiiFiEa^D. Mr. Oliver, I do not think we are. Let me 

 put it this way. If we are it has not been brought to my attention. 



Mr. Oliver. That surprises me. I thought that there was represent- 

 ation. When the committee was on an informal basis, I thought there 

 was representation. 



Admiral Hirsiifield. When the committee was on an informal 

 basis, my information, Mr. Oliver, is that we did sit in on those 

 mieetings. 



Mr. Oliver. This is my understanding. 



Admiral Hirshfield. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Oliver. So that, on the relatively permanent committee, the 

 Coast Guard is not represented ? 



Admiral Hirshfield. Not presently, no, sir. 



Mr. Oliver. Do you feel that the Coast Guard should be repre- 

 sented on that committee ( 



Admiral Hirshfield. Well, I do not know whether it is necessary 

 or not, very frankly. 



Mr. Oliver. Could the Coast Guard make a greater contribution to 

 oceanographic activities than it is makhig now, do you feel? 



Admiral Hirshfield. Well, of course, you know we are a service 

 organization, Mr. Oliver, and let me put it this way : The things which 

 we do are in carrying out our statutory duties. If there is sometliing 

 required that we can do for some other agency, we would do it. 



I think insofar as our own responsibilities are conr-erned that we are 

 performing them. 



Mr. Oliver. That is all I have, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Miller. Mr. Flynn? 



Mr. Flynn. I have no questions. 



Mr. Miller. Admiral, I realize that you carry out fully your statu- 

 tory duties but is this not a field to which your duties run very close 

 so that, if we could get you money to increase your statutory duties 

 and broaden them you could do a veiy fine job ? Was not some of the 

 first practical work in oceanography done by the Coast Guard? 



Admiral Hirshfield. We have been in the business a long time. 

 Mr. Chairman. As a matter of fact the Coast Guard was among 

 the very first to make use of oceanography to assist in solving a 

 practical problem, i.e., iceberg drift in connection with our duties on 

 the International Ice Patrol. 



Mr. Miller. And you have some people who are quite competent 

 in this field. 



Admiral PIirshfifxd. AVell, we have presently on active duty, if my 

 memory serves me, about eight officers Avho have gone either to Scripps 

 or to one of the oceanographic schools. 



Mr. Miller. In fact, historically, you had people who were higldy 

 competent in this field? 



Admiral Hirshfield. The first one was Adm. "Iceberg" Ed Smith,; 

 wlio was in the late tAventies, if my memory serves me. 



