Relatixyn. of the Federal Government to Research 



29 



As a rapidly advancing branch of engineering science, aero- 

 nautics has received from tlie Government of the United States 

 and from the leadin;; world powers special consideration and 

 generous support. Tliere is today an inlonse international ri- 

 valry in the design and production of aircraft of the highest 

 possible performance, efficiency, and safety. For tlie past decade 

 the United States has led the world in this effort. This has been 

 due chiefly to the sound organization for scientific research in 

 aeronautics, and to the generous support and comi)lete freedom 

 of action accorded by the Government to its aeronautical re- 

 search organization. The present American leadership is seri- 

 ousl.v threatened by the greatly increased interest in and support 

 of scientific research in aeronautics by leading world powers 

 during the past 2 years. 



Fundamental aeronautical research is conducted un- 

 der the auspices of the National Advisory Committee 

 for Aeronautics through standing subcommittees on 

 aerodj'namics, power plants for aircraft, aircraft ma- 

 terials, aircraft structures, aircraft accidents, and aero- 

 nautical inventions and designs. Specific research pro- 

 grams are recommended by these subcommittes, which 

 represent all governmental agencies concerned -with 

 aeronautical development and manufacturers of air- 

 craft and equipment. The Langley Memorial Aeronau- 

 tical Laboratory, at Langley Field, Virginia, is still the 

 largest and best-equipped single aeronautical research 

 laboratory in the ^Yorld, but constant provision of new 

 equipment is necessary to keep abreast of the rapidly 

 advancing science of aeronautical engineering. 



The high efficiency and international prestige of the 

 agency may be judged by the fact that — 



leading world powers have sent aeronautical missions to the 

 United States, whose chief objective has been to study the 

 N. A. C. A. research organization and laboratories. The 

 N. A. C. A. has pioneered progress in this lield, and especially 

 in the development of research equipment and methods. Most 

 of the Committee's novel research equipment has been, or is 

 now being, duplicated in the great research laboratories of 

 foreign nations. 



Geology 



Another field in which only the Federal Government 

 has adequate resources to conduct extensive research is 

 that of geology, and the related disciplines of geodesy 

 and mineral technology. 



The Geological Survey is the principal Federal 

 agency in the field of geologic research, and is believed 

 to be the largest contributor in the United States to 

 geologic science. The results of this research are used 

 by other agencies in connection with geologic problems 

 such as those presented by the mining and petroleum 

 industries and by construction of highways, bridges, 

 water storage, and other works. The Geologic Branch 

 of the Survey engages in systematic examination of 

 land surfaces, aided by magnetic observations in con- 

 nection with magnetic ores. Samples of rocks and ores 

 and fossil specimens are collected; and field work is 



supplemented by laboratory analysis which includes 

 microscopic and chemical examinations of rocks and 

 ores, and paleontologic study of fossils. 



Measurements of the flow of rivers, investigations 

 of underground currents and artesian wells, and de- 

 termination of the available water supplies of the 

 United States arc among the functions of the Water 

 Resources Branch of the Geological Survey. Stream- 

 flow measurements have been made at more than 7,200 

 places in the United States, and at many points in 

 Alaska and Hawaii. These measurements have in most 

 cases extended over a considerable period of time, dur- 

 ing which determinations have been made of the aver- 

 age flow at the place of measurement for each day of 

 the period of observation. The data thus obtained are 

 used in connection with studies in hydraulics and hy- 

 drology, and for numerous engineering purposes. The 

 increasing need for additional ground-water supplies 

 in many parts of the country, especially in the less 

 humid areas, has led to comprehensive ground-water 

 studies and reports; and studies have also been made 

 of the inorganic constituents of many sources of water 

 supply. 



None of these activities of the Geological Survey is 

 of a nature to return financial profits. They are, there- 

 fore, beyond the scope of industry ; and while they are 

 of interest to the academic geologist and to the engi- 

 neer as well as to governmental agencies, the scale on 

 which the work must be carried on, and the cost in- 

 volved, preclude satisfactory research programs by any 

 agency other than the Federal Govermnent. 



The research activities of the Bureau of Mines are 

 similarly national in scope, and too extensive for any 

 nongoverimiental agency to engage in. The mining 

 industry is contributing data of much value, but each 

 segment of the industry is concerned only with the 

 technology of its own particular ores or minerals, while 

 the Bureau of Mines from its detached position may 

 investigate the problems of the industry as a whole. 



Another illustration is offered by the work of the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey in mapping the coast line, 

 investigating tides and currents, and making the geo- 

 detic control surveys on which surveying and mapping 

 operations depend. The fundamental triangulation 

 required in geodetic work usually consists of long arcs 

 which are connected into a great network over the 

 whole country in disregard of political boundary lines. 



Public Health 



Public health is another problem which is increas- 

 ingly coming to be appreciated as national in scope. 

 Disease knows no State lines, and prepared foods and 

 drugs are articles of interstate commerce. Streams 

 polluted in one State may spread disease in another; 



