82 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY 



(b) Comment on the characteristics of ships currently planned smd 

 means for funding the construction or conversion. 



(c) Recommend types of ships which may be standardized to reduce 

 cost of construction. 



id) Recommend standardization of equipage and scientific instru- 

 mentation where feasible. 



(e) Recommend the sizes of ships for appropriate assignment to 

 certain laboratories and for specific types of programs. 



(J) Determine reasonable estimates of cost of construction based on 

 latest information available to agency representatives including an 

 estimate of cost of operations of new ships under various types of 

 operation, that is, manning by civilian laboratories, MSTS, and 

 Navy crews. 



In addition to the above charter delineated in Dr. Wakelin's letter 

 of June 14, 1960, the ships panel was subsequently asked to obtain 

 background information on how Government agencies design, contract 

 for, build, inspect, and accept oceanographic ships. 



Before discussing the accomplishments of the ships panel, I would 

 like to say a few words on the general composition of the panel and 

 give a brief summary of our methods of operating. The panel is 

 composed of 16 members, alternates, and observers from the various 

 agencies concerned with oceanographic ship construction or operation. 



The following agencies are represented: Office of Chief of Naval 

 Operations, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, 

 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office, 

 Maritime Administration, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Bureau of 

 Ships, U.S. Coast Guard, and National Academy of Sciences Com- 

 mittee on Oceanography. 



Membership of the Ships Panel consists of the following: Myself as 

 chairman for the Office of Chief of Naval Operations; Dr. J. Lyman, 

 National Science Foundation; Mr. F. Jennings, Office of Naval Re- 

 search; Capt. J. C. Mathison, USCGS, Coast Survey; Comdr. R. C. 

 Darling, USCGS (alternate), Coast Survey, who is the alternate to 

 Captain Mathison; Comdr. F. L. Slattery, U.S. Navy Hydrographic 

 Office; Mr. B. Byrnes (alternate), Hydrographic Office, who is the 

 alternate to Commander Slattery; Mr. L. C. Hoffman, Maritime 

 Administration ; Mr. V. L. Russo (alternate), Maritime Administration, 

 who is the alternate to Mr. Hoffman; Mr. J. King, Bureau of Com- 

 mercial Fisheries; Mr. H. Eckles (alternate), Bureau of Commercial 

 Fisheries, who is the alternate to Mr. King; Lt. Comdr. E. Venning, 

 U.S. Navy, Bureau of Ships; Mr. B. K. Couper, Bureau of Ships; Lt. 

 Comdr. R. P. Dinsmore, USCG, Coast Guard; Dr. P. Fye (observer), 

 NASCO; Air. R. Vetter (alternate), NASCO; Mr. R. Wilson of Bureau 

 of Commercial Fisheries has recently relieved Mr. J. King. 



It should be noted that 5 of the above members are ship design 

 personnel and 11 are experienced operators of oceanographic ships. 

 This membership has accumulated a total of over 240 years of operating 

 and/or design experience with oceanographic ships and represents an 

 excellent cross section of specialized technical oceanographic knowl- 

 edge. 



Meetings are called by me as chairman when needed in order to 

 complete the various tasks currently assigned to the panel. Mem- 

 bers, alternates, and observers have equal voice in our meetings and 

 a serious effort is made to achieve unanimity. I am proud to say 



