26 FRONTIERS IN OCEANIC RESEARCH 



Unfortunately the limitations imposed by ocean surface conditions, 

 and the cumbersome towing that is involved in moving the craft to the 

 diving location, renders the craft limited to these near shore operations. 

 Remote locations, such as Hawaii and Guam are satisfactory insofar 

 as shore-based logistic support is concerned, but again the diving oper- 

 ations must be limited to a radius of approximately 200 miles from 

 the port until a mother ship is available. 



One thing I would like to point out, the bathyscaph was purchased 

 for American scientists, and not for the exclusive use of U.S. Navy 

 personnel. 



In this regard, we would like to be able to transport the bathyscaph 

 to the Atlantic Ocean, so that some of the Woods Hole oceanographers 

 could have an opportunity to utilize the craft. Obviously this is very 

 difficult to do at the present time. 



It is interesting to note, too, that in the National Academy of 

 Sciences — National Research Council, Committee on Oceanography 

 Report No. 7, which I have made available to you, that the committee 

 envisages the development of a variety of manned and unmanned 

 submersibles and cites the need for such craft in an expanded oceano- 

 graphic research program. 



Already the commercially designed 15,000-foot Aluminaut is well 

 advanced. 1 This is a commercial enterprise of the Reynolds Aluminum 

 Co. Several deep submersibles are being designed by other organiza- 

 tions in the United States, but none are in the construction stages. 



We hope that our operations with the bathyscaph have stirred 

 interest in this direction. 



It has been pointed out that man's knowledge of the oceans is 

 meager indeed when compared with their importance to him. Recog- 

 nizing that neglect in this area of endeavor might well result in our 

 being placed in a precarious position from the scientific, technological, 

 and military points of view, it is mandatory there be an increased 

 American effort in the last geographic frontier. 



If we are to pursue an expanded program, it is considered essential 

 to the orderly progress of pursuing the host of studies involved in 

 manned exploration of the deep sea, that deep submersible vehicles 

 and shore facilities, scientific personnel, and existing experience be 

 integrated to provide the United States with the most effective means 

 of maintaining leadership in oceanographic research. 



The established operating base for the bathyscaph at the U.S. 

 Navy Electronics Laboratory, which is adjacent to the most suitable 

 location for bathyscaph operations in the United States, appears to 

 be the most propitious location for such a base. 



This may sound like a little bit of advertising, but we would like 

 to draw attention to this fact, that the Nation's largest community 

 of scientists and personnel concerned with basic and direct oceano- 

 graphic research is located in the San Diego area. 



One of the prime reasons for the seemingly poor diving record, that 

 is, the number of dives, made by the Trieste during its first year of 

 operation in the United States, was due to the fact that we had to 

 provide the logistic support for this unique craft. In doing this, we 



1 See Wenk, Edward, Jr., Dehart, Robert C, Mandel, Philip, and Kissinger. Ralph, Jr., 

 "An OceanoRrnphic Research Submarine of Aluminium for Operation to 15,000 Feet," 

 paper No. 5 before the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, Mar. 23, 1960. 



