110 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY 



to find in a few years that we need larger ships. Standardization of 

 this type right now for a whole class of ships might be harmful. 



Mr. Dingell. How many times was the subject of ship standardi- 

 zation discussed within your committee? 



Commander Alexander. This was one of the main problems that 

 we discussed through one whole series of meetings before we submitted 

 the recommendations to the CIO. I would estimate that we had 

 four or five meetings concerned with standardization and similar 

 problems. 



Mr. Dingell. And the result of these was that you agreed to 

 disagree in regard to basic ship construction; am I correct? 



Commander Alexander. Only for the present, Mr. Chairman. 

 We did agree that the problem should be deferred until we could have 

 enough operating experience with modern ships. 



Mr. Dingell. Now, just one more brief series of questions, here. 



You indicate that you are going to establish programs for operating 

 scheduling of oceanographic vessels, for fiscal year 1963. Have you 

 ever done this before? 



Commander Alexander. Yes, sir; we did it in fiscal year 1962. 



Mr. Dingell. Are you going to add emphasis to that, or do you 

 contemplate adding emphasis to that kind of a program in future? 



Commander Alexander. I don't understand your question, sir. 



Mr. Dingell. Well, in other words, are you going to increase your 

 emphasis on coordinating your schedules on publishing advanced 

 schedules for oceanographic vessels? 



Commander Alexander. We hope every March to come up with 

 another pamphlet that will list all of the oceanographic ships that the 

 United States has and the areas in which they operate. 



This year we have added a new feature over what we had last year. 

 We are carrying a column on how many visiting scientists can be 

 accommodated aboard each ship. 



Mr. Dingell. Is this information made generally available through 

 the appropriate channels to the people who are in the oceanographic 

 field? 



Commander Alexander. Yes, sir; we ran off enough copies of 

 ICO pamphlet No. 1 to give rather thorough distribution to Govern- 

 ment laboratories and private institutions. We have since had a 

 number of requests from industry. This year, we hope to be able to 

 print enough copies so that everyone who wants a copy can have one. 



Mr. Dingell. Now, with regard to the Woods Hole vessel that you 

 discussed earlier, has there been any coordination on the design and 

 the letting of the contract with you with the Bureau of Ships and with 

 other Government agencies? 



Commander Alexander. I am speaking from memory now, Mr. 

 Chairman. I wouldn't like to be held to what I say, but I seem to 

 recall that in our meetings, the National Science Foundation had 

 checked out the design with a committee composed of representatives 

 of the Bureau of Ships, Maritime Administration, and Bureau of 

 Commercial Fisheries. The contract arrangements, of course, were 

 handled with the National Science Foundation, itself. 



Mr. Dingell. Within the National Science Foundation? 



Commander Alexander. That is my impression ; } r es, sir. 



Mr. Dingell. Were bids let on that, do you remember? 



Commander Alexander. I presume they were; yes, sir. 



