123 



etc. , and manned by a personnel ful^T trained in oceanographic pro- 

 cedure. The Fisheries Steamer "Albatross II" is now actively em- 

 ployed in studies of the biology and especially the migrations of 

 cod, rackerel and other food fish of the north-western Atlantic. In 

 the Pacific the Bureau maintains vessels for the patrol of Alaskan 

 waters and for the transport of supplies to the Prihilov Islands, 

 hut which co^jld add oceanographic work to their routine duties 

 without serious interference. And on both coasts it has several 

 smaller craft, fit for research wo-^'k in the coastwise waters. 



The Bureau's activities are not limited b-^ statute to territo- 

 rial waters, but can be extended to fe high seas, ard experience 

 in the past justifies the assumption that the Bureau will ofte^i be 

 ready to detail its vessels for Vk'ell considered exploration, if 

 they can be spared from other duties, and if the cost of fueli'ig 

 and the other expenses incident upon withdrawal from f^eir ord3,nary 

 routine dutie-^, can be met from outside sources, 



!^ . 



Besides its ships the Bureau maintains well equipped biologi- 

 cal laboratorie'- especially for the studT of fisheries biology, at 

 Woods Hole, Mass., and at Beaufort, T^ . C, w'here pro])lems in ocean- 

 ic biology are constantly under study. At all of th-'^se laborntories 

 visiting scientists are mpde welcome, and provided with full facil- 

 ities up to the Bureau's capacity. 



More specifically, the Bureau wn 11 cooperate b^^ advice in the 

 development of nrograras of research: b^- the occasional detail of its 

 vesells and their crews (when expenses can be met)* by detailing 

 members of its staff, from time to time, to direct the acttial work 

 at sea: by the loan of annaratus (this has proved most helpful in 

 the past): and by freel:^ offering the facilities of its laboratories, 



2. United States Coast Guard 



Scientific research was not among the duties for which this 

 Service was originally esta"^ilished in IVQO, its entrance into the 

 field of Oceanography was occasioned by the deD.Ggatlon to it ' of the 

 duty of maintaining the International Ice Patrol in t>^e North At- 

 lantic, as a result of f^e International Corference o^-^ Safet;/ of 

 Life at Sea, held in London, Nov. 12, 1913. A convention signed 

 on Januar-r 20, 1914, provided for the inauguration of an internat- 

 ional derelict destruction, ice observation, and ice patrol service 

 to patrol the ice regions of the Nortli Atlantic during the season 

 of danger from icebergs. The Government of the United States was 

 invited to undertsi-^e the management of this service, the expenses 

 to be defrayed by the f irteen powers interested in trans-Atlantic 

 navip'.ation: and on February 7, 1914 t^-^.e Pre-i'^ent of the United 

 States directed the Bevenue Cut+er Service (now the Goast Guard) to 

 begin the international ice observation and patrol service that has 

 been -^.ainta ^-ned ever since. 



In addition to f!'e routine work of locating icebergs and warn- 

 ing the passing vessels of the danger limits, t^e Patrol is also 

 directed to make a stud^^ of fhe ice situation, particularly as to 

 the currents in the vicinity of the Grand Banks, and of f^e physi- 

 cal properties and drifts of tho ice. Beginning; in 1^14 t^^e Bevenue 

 Cutter Service (now the Coast Guard) thus undertook the stud- of the 

 ph^/sical oceanography of the north-western Atlantic in that general 



