of each of these agencies. However, through the ICO, we are 

 attempting to achieve balance between the need for basic and 

 applied research, the need for new ships and shore facilities, 

 and new instrumentation. We have established a number of panels 

 to study these special subjects. This meeting on instrumentation 

 which has brought us all together this morning was arranged by 

 the Panel on Facilities, Equipment, and Instrumentation of the 

 ICO. And I must say that I congratulate the Chairman of this 

 meeting, together with his conferees in Interior and those in the 

 Hydrographic Office of the Navy and the other members of the 

 Panel, for such an effective program as has been laid out for 

 these two days. 



During its brief history, the ICO has taken several major 

 steps toward a coordinated National Oceanographic Program. The 

 first of these was the establishment of the National Oceanographic 

 Data Center here in Washington. The Data Center, which is 

 financed cooperatively by several member agencies of the ICO, 

 receives, processes, stores, and distributes many kinds of data 

 on the oceans. Its purpose is to make the data available rapidly 

 and in proper form for scientific research and operations in ocean- 

 ography. The Data Center currently is under the management of 

 the Hydrographic Office. It serves the needs of civilian, military, 

 and private institutions as they arise. We are proud to state that 

 the National Oceanographic Data Center became a reality through 

 the efforts of many scientists and members of government work- 

 ing and planning together - - and I might say also through our many 

 friends who help us in the Congress of the United States. It is an 

 example of what can be accomplished through a coordinated 

 pooling of effort backed by a strong common interest that we all 

 have in these agencies in the field of oceanography. 



The ICO is now intent upon developing greatly improved 

 instruments and tools with which to conduct oceanographic research 

 and surveys. This will require the cooperation of scientists in and 

 outside of Government, and the special knowledge and engineering 

 talents of industry which can be brought to bear on these problems. 

 Our success in this phase of our National Oceanographic Program 

 will, in a large measure, determine the success and cost of the 

 many phases of research, surveying, data processing, and anal- 

 ysis which lie ahead. Many of the requirements for measurement 

 of ocean variables are well known; others are yet to be defined or 

 discovered. However, problems in connection with the submarine 



