128 OCEANOGRAPHY 



cumulated at the museums of the major maritime nations. As early 

 as 1875 it was known that life existed at all depths in the ocean, but 

 knowledge concerning the circulation of the ocean was still almost 

 entirely two-dimensional and based on statistical summaries of sur- 

 face observations. 



During the first quarter of the present century interest in marine 

 science was largely centered around problems associated with com- 

 mercial iishing in coastal waters. During this period the basic tools 

 of physical oceanogi'aphy were developed and the fii-st classical theo- 

 retical studies were published. Then beginning about 1925 there 

 occurred both in Europe and in this country a I'evival of interest in 

 deep sea oceanography. For the first time expeditions were equipped 

 to study the physical and chemical properties of the whole water 

 column rather than to make biological collections. 



It became clear that in order to understand the distribution of life 

 in the sea it was necessary to know about the movements of the water 

 and their causes. I believe the cycle has gone around once again. 

 AVe have more or less answered the basic questions which were put 

 to me as a young physical oceanographer by my colleagues, my biolog- 

 ical colleagiies. We have develoi)ed methods and teclmiques for 

 knowing how the water is moving the animals and plants around. It 

 now becomes profitable once against to go back and look at the biol- 

 ogy of the sea with the backgi'ound that has been j:>rovided during the 

 last 50 years, both theoretical and obsen-ational, on the physical 

 environment. 



In this country, beginning about 1930, threx? oceanographic lab- 

 oratories were establislied with more or less adequate facilities for 

 working in dee]) water. The necessary money was largely supplied 

 by grants from the Rockefeller Foundation. These three labora- 

 tories became facilities that could be used by advanced students and 

 university professors interested in some aspect of marine science. 

 Until about 1940 they were mainly used during the summer vacation 

 period and had only quite small permanent staffs. 



However, in this way by the time World War II started there were 

 perhaps a hundred people in this country who had done some work 

 in deep sea oceanography and who had gained experience in making 

 observations of many different kinds at sea. These people formed a 

 nucleus for the veiy rapid expansion of marine science during the war 

 years. This was, of course, financed by the Office of Scientific Ee- 

 search and Development. The studies carried ovit during the war 

 period were largely in support of military applications. Oceanogra- 

 phy was particularly helpful in the case of amphibious operations 

 and in the case of submarine operations. 



After the war the Navy continued this support, of oceanography. 

 At first the necessary funds were largely supplied by the Bureau of 

 Ships. Later the Office of Naval Research became the largest con- 

 tracting agency. Thus the existing laboi'atories came to have sizable, 

 full-time staffs, and new laboratories developed during the postwar 

 period. Also within the Navy laboratories and at the Hvdrogra]:>hic 

 Office experienced oceanographic groups became established. We 

 have indeed come a vei-y long way in the last 20 years, as I look back 

 on the situation. I believe w^e have shown quite clearly that we have 

 the capacity and the ability to expand at some reasonable rate. 



