84 MARINE SCIENCE 
would be some great advancements in the depths of undersea sub- 
marines, and scientific devices; also in ocean platforms. 
Only the day before yesterday I attended a meeting, classified to 
some extent, in which they were talking about exactly what we dis- 
cussed, not to the same depths, but pretty deep. That is moving even 
faster than we are moving in having the maps or preparing the infor- 
mation that is necessary for operations of this type. 
One of the justifications for this program is that the least we can do 
is keep up with that, keep abreast of it. I don’t know that we are 
going tobeabletodothat. Itis moving awfully fast. 
Dr. Revetie. It certainly is. 
The Cuatrman. And in the field of small undersea craft, also. We 
surely know that the Russians are doing exactly the same thing. 
Dr. Reverie. There is a real question here, which is often raised 
from a military point of view: Is it desirable for us to exchange in- 
formation with the Russians? 
My own opinion is that it is, and the reason that it is, is that the 
side that has the best technology can use knowledge most effectively. 
If we can get on a quid pro quo or any exchange basis the knowledge 
that the Russians are getting and if we can be sure it is of the quality 
of the knowledge that we are obtaining, I am sure it will do us a lot 
more good than it will them. 
Moreover, maps are the kind of thing that you can’t keep classified, 
anyhow. The problem then is just to make them as fast and as good 
as possible. All of these surveys I think should be unclassified, and if 
they are unclassified it is very much to our advantage to cooperate 
with other countries, with all the other countries. 
The Cuatrman. The necessity of coordination in this field is also 
pointed up by the fact that I know, and the other Senator from Cali- 
fornia knows, that some of the real priorities in the Defense Depart- 
ment, things to do, get into the field of oceanography, in which we are 
behind. 
Go ahead. 
Dr. Revettz. We were just talking about surveys. As I stated, I 
feel these are very important. What I mean by this is simply sys- 
tematic mapping, using known techniques. This is not really research. 
What we need in addition, of course, is what scientists call basic 
research, which means understanding the processes and the nature of 
the ocean, the ways of life in the sea, which there are so many dif- 
ferent kinds of creatures in the sea, where do they live, why do they 
live there, how do they move, how do they behave, how are their popu- 
lations affected by different things that happen in the oceans, what 
is the relation between the ocean and the atmosphere, how does the 
ocean affect, climate, why does the ocean exist, why does the bottom of 
the ocean have the shape it does, why doesn’t it look like the surface 
of the moon, what is beneath the sea floor; the kind of thing, for ex- 
ample, that is being found out right now by the great Project Drill, 
beneath the sea floor. These are all projects in basic research, and 
this is by far the most important thing that we need to do. 
The Cuarrwan. It all adds up to a better understanding of this for 
defense. 
Dr. Reverie. In order to do the research we also have to make the 
maps. 
