123 



systematized nnd coordin'ted effort in develor)in£^ contours of the 

 ocean bottom. 



(4) Thnt ri standard thermometer for f^ e taking of ocen.n tem- 

 perature, hof^ of the air and of the surface v/ater, he adopted, and 

 that suitable instructions be issued b^- the H"''-drogr"phic Office 

 standardizing methods of taking and recording observations and of 

 transmitting these to the Hydrographic "Office: th'" t these instruct- 

 ions Inclvide tbe m.ethods of standardi'^.ing f^e instruments fro'i time 

 to time and of data sheets furnished f^e HTdrographic Office, the 

 last time of standardization, and an^^'' comments that annear appro- 

 priate reg'^rding the reliability of the data submitted. 



(5) Thnt the rep'"^rtment express to the National Academy of 

 Sciences its willingness to cooper'-'te in obtaining samples of the 

 surface w-^ter of the sea by vessels in transit: that it sugsest to 

 the National Academy of Sciences the desirability of standardized 

 containers of small size for this water with labels in suitable form 

 for the recording on those labels of identifying data. 



(6) That when the nature of naval opemtions permit, suit- 

 ably equipped vessels operating m the vicinity of ocean deeps be 

 ^""irected to make a survey/ of these deeps, that they be directed to 

 do so, vn<^. that a standardized 'Ian be prepared by the Hydrogra:-^hi« 

 Office for the conducting of these special examin'tion of deeps, so 

 that fhe data furnished will maet t'~e requirements of those scient- 

 ists specially interested in ocean deeps." 



The Hydrogrnphic Office receives t"'''e only appropri-' tion Con- 

 gress las so fn.r given the Nav^,^ for ocenn surveys, nnd its regular 

 work in the ccllection, analysis and publication of data on ocean 

 currents, drifts of ice, storm tracks, and wind directions and 

 force, as v/elT as in siirveys of insufficiently^ charted co-^st lines, 

 is directly oceanographies indirectl'^'- so is its c" rtogr-^phic work. 



Of I'^.t:' yo^rs f e Navy has taken a leading p" rt in the applic- 

 ation of recentl^- Revised mef'^ods of echo sounding to cbarting sub- 

 marine topography along f^^e routes followed in its periodic cruises. 

 And r'^pid expansion in t^'is field of explomtion is nresajred, the 

 recommendations iust listed. 



The Naval Observatory, also has recentl^^ t^-ken an active p rt 

 in Oceanogr'-phy through its recent direction of a gravity expedition 

 (Pnge 16 ). During the past few years, too, f^e Navy h/^s recorded 

 a large number of temperature readings during its voyages in the 

 Pacific: has contributed mtxch data to the Scripps Institution, and 

 contemplates a rapidlv expanding program in t>^is field of endeavor. 



If the increased expense for fuel, etc. could be met (h'rdl^^ 

 possible from present appropri'^tj ons ) no lim.i ts could be set to the 

 opportunity open to the Navy to extend its research downward into 

 the deeper water-strr'ta. With its fleet of auxili-^rv vessels, "large 

 and sm^ll, and wif" its highly efficient officers, the Nav:,,'- is far 

 better equipped for this than any other agency in the country, so 

 f^r ^s physical plant is oonce.^ned. It is, furtl ermore, the pres- 

 ent pvirpose of tbo Department to cooperate with outside agencies in 

 all nracticablG ways in studies of thj oceans: a purpose exem.plified 



