60 FRONTIERS IN OCEANIC RESEARCH 



The funding of these is a major item in increasing our capability by 

 1970 to more or less double our present total oceanographic effort. 



Mr. Karth. The $17 million ; Mr. Secretary, I think the chairman 

 would probably like to give the opportunity to other members of 

 asking questions. May we just put some of this in the record? 



Dr. Wakelin. Yes. 



Mr. Karth. The $17 million, as I understood you, was spent in the 

 research end of this overall program. 



Dr. Wakelin. Yes, that is correct. 



Mr. Karth. Was that sufficient ? 



Dr. Wakelin. Yes, that is entirely sufficient, yes. 



If one plots the expense 



Mr. Karth. On a long-range basis, if the needs for your ships are 

 not satisfied, then you could not carry on this program to meet your 

 critical needs, is that correct ? 



Dr. Wakelin. In terms of new construction, yes. We would have 

 to consider running the older ships for a longer period, or trying to 

 find semisuitable conversions in the Navy reserve fleet to use. 



Mr. Karth. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. 



Dr. Wakelin. Right. 



The Chairman. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. 



If you would, I want to ask you to place into the record something 

 additional about the need for more basic research. You refer to that 

 as being needed in the program. You refer to several other things 

 in your statement as needed, but basic research and scientific training 

 are two. 



If you could amplify that at your leisure, we would like to have 

 that amplification in the record. 



Dr. Wakelin. Yes, sir. 



(The information requested is as follows:) 



The Need for Moke Basic Research in Oceanography 



In discussing the need for basic research in oceanography, one must carefully 

 consider the definition of the term. Basic research seeks an understanding of 

 things without concern for the practical application of the results for defense or 

 economic exploitation. But history provides many illustrative examples of un- 

 expected applications arising from research of the purest, most nonapplied char- 

 acter. That it is in the best interests of our Nation to increase our knowledge 

 and to deepen our understanding of the world in which we live is sufficiently 

 self-evident so as to require little more justification. 



The National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Oceanography has identified 

 many of the broad significant problems that are unique to the sea whose solution 

 will require a major effort in the marine sciences. Generally, basic research in 

 oceanography can be considered in five broad categories : 



(1) History of the oceans: A study of the evolution of our planet is a most 

 powerful means for studying the history of the universe. AVe can reconstruct 

 the Earth's history and the fluctuations of the land-water-climate relationship 

 through studies of the composition of the Earth's crust and the distribution of 

 the sediments over the ocean basins and by studies of the intensities and varia- 

 tions of the magnetic and gravity fields. New tools and techniques can reveal 

 much that has until now remained shrouded in mystery and speculation. 



(2) Life in the sea: It is likely that animal life as we know it originated in 

 the sea. Our present knowledge of its great diversity and richness, though ex- 

 tensive, is still very fragmentary. The many areas of basic research interest 

 which may help fill the gaps in our knowledge of marine life include the struc- 

 ture of marine communities, the interdependence between species and their fluc- 

 tuations in abundance, the role of microorganisms, the significance of migration 

 of organisms in transporting materials, including radioisotopes from deep water 



