208 OCEANOGRAPHY 1961 — PHASE 3 



instruments have to be capable of operation, adjustment, and mainte- 

 nance by technicians and other nonprofessionals. We cannot and and 

 i^vould not send the inventor to sea with an item of equipment. 



Another factor influencing the industry is the necessity to operate 

 under extremely adverse conditions. The petroleum industry often 

 cannot wait for the best operating season ; with the result, for example, 

 that we have had to work in Alaskan waters, amid ice floes, in the dead 

 of winter, and in the steaming Persian Gulf in midsummer. 



It is my considered opinion that the geophysical industry can make 

 a major contribution to the national oceanographic effort. The prin- 

 cipal ingredient of this contribution is the way of life, the modus 

 operandi, if you will, of the commercial geophysicist, who must 

 operate efficiently with fool-proof equipment at minimum cost, and 

 with the attitude that he goes to sea to do a specific piece of work. He 

 does not look upon his job as a form of vacation. Plis recreation is 

 obtained on shore during rest periods. He goes to sea to obtain 

 specific data accurately and mexpensively, and nothing else. 



Mr. Chairman, that concludes the formal statement. I have one or 

 two comments based upon the previous testimony. 



Mr, Miller. We will be very happy to have them. Go right ahead, 

 sir. 



Mr. Savit. I would mention incidentally that the Hydrographic 

 Office has contacted people in the industry in search for items of infor- 

 mation. This was unknown to Dr. Blake. Prior to the hearing, that 

 is. 



There are many difficulties, and we have been asked to see if we can 

 find certain items of information for them. 



Mr. DiNGELL. How long before these hearings ? 



Mr. Savit. Contacts were made a few weeks ago on one item. 



Mr. DiisTGELL. Was that the first contact, to your knowledge ? 



Mr. Sa\t:t. There have been some informal discussions several 

 times in the past, but this was the first request emanating from the 

 Hydrographic Office that was not as a result of someone calling on 

 them. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Are you implying that there is not sufficient utiliza- 

 tion by the Hydrographic Office and other Government agencies con- 

 cerned with the information readily available from private industry ? 



Mr. Savit. No. First of all, the infoiTnation is not readily avail- 

 able from private industry. It takes rather involved negotiations. 



It appears to me that the Hydrographic Office, in my opinion, has 

 operated with some speed; that since the installation of the oceano- 

 graphic data center, fi^rst they had to find out what it was they T^^anted, 

 and then start to ask for it. And I do not see how they could rea- 

 sonably have been expected to ask for anything much sooner. 



Mr. IMiLivER. I am very happy to hear you say that, because I think 

 it has functioned with dispatch, and I think it was a tremendously 

 challenging undertaking. To set up such an organization in this 

 period of time is a great undertaking. 



I take it that you subscribed that this center is going to have great 

 value. 



Mr. Savit. Yes. As a matter of fact, in some discussions we had 

 with the Senate committee, we pointed out that it was our opinion 

 that the Hydrographic Office was the proper place for the national 

 oceanographic data center. This was 7 months ago. 



