no study of this sort is underway (or as far as 

 we knov/, even planned) . We raust reemphasize the need 

 for this study. The best available design and opera- 

 tional evalv-acion talent should be called upon to 

 assure the development and construction of the best 

 possible ships in each of the reconimended classes. 

 Ne need not hold back in the commitment of funds for 

 construction while awaiting the results of these 

 studies c Clearly large and small ships are needed 

 both by government agencies and the private laboratories 

 and they are needed soon. Operational experience with 

 each class can guide the future emphasis as to niaiiibers 

 of ships in each size class. 



Leca l Koguir o m ents 



Research ships need to carry about tv;ice as many 

 people as coiiimercial ships of comparable size and at 

 the same time require ample space for laboratories and 

 S'-cr. age. Even so, existing legal requirements for living 

 accoramodationf!, safety and licensing of crews in research 

 shj.ps operated by non-government agencies have not become 

 a liiuitJng factor in the design of ships in the 1400 ton 

 class. This may not be the case when the design of a 

 ship in the 500 ton class is attempted. One problem 

 centers on the present requirement for the use of life- 

 boats rather than rafts. It is perhaps significant that 

 the smaller ships now being designed or constructed for 

 the private labortitories are all less than 300 tons and 

 therefore avoid most of the existing regulations. 



Continuity of Design Development 



On the whole, the design of nev/ ships for marine 

 science has proceeded smoothly, if somev,?hat slowly. 

 S;:ivje a number of agencies are involved and since the 

 economics of the operations of these nev/ ships have not 

 yet been squarely faced, leadership is needed within the 

 government to assure that we end up with a fleet that is 

 efficient for the many different kinds of work to be done. 

 It was originally recommended by the Committee that the 

 Uaritime Administration should be aslced to give advice 

 in these problems and this still seems a good recommenda- 

 tion. 



