MARINE SCIENCE 203 
Basic research is the cornerstone on which the successful use of the seas must 
rest. Progress here is largely dependent on the work of scientists at many 
universities and laboratories throughout the United States and on ships at 
sea. Their investigations cover all aspects of the marine environment, the 
motion and composition of ocean waters, the evolution and distribution of 
marine plants and animals, the shape and composition of the ocean bottom, and 
many other geophysical and biological problems. Of timely significance is the 
attempt to penetrate to the earth’s mantle to better our understanding of the 
origin and history of our planet. This undertaking, known as Project Mohole, 
involves the development of new drilling methods that can be used in the deep 
seas. This project has recently resulted in a spectacular achievement. Samples 
from nearly a thousand feet beneath the sea floor were obtained by drilling in 
3,000 feet of water. 
Considerable attention will also be given to applied problems in the marine 
sciences. Oceanographers will be studying such problems as sound propagation 
in water, the effects of changes in ocean conditions on the movement of ships, 
weather forecasting and fisheries management. Methods of predicting changes 
in ocean conditions also are being developed. Hventually they may lead to 
maps of “weather within the sea’ much like the atmospheric weather maps 
of today. 
Many advances are being made in methods of exploring the seas. Oceanog- 
raphers are now able to descend to the great depths in bathyscaphs. New 
electronic equipment will allow them to probe the ocean and to “see” with sound 
pulses what before has been opaque. Using these new techniques, our scientists 
already have discovered vast currents below the ocean surface a thousand times 
larger than the flow of the Mississippi. 
4. TRAINING OF OCEANOGRAPHERS 
The most important part of our long-range program in oceanography is the 
training of young scientists. Scientific manpower of every sort will be needed— 
technicians, college graduates, and postgraduate researchers—and they must be 
trained in many scientific disciplines. This training should go hand in hand 
with the conduct of research at universities and other oceanographic institutions. 
By their support of these institutions, the programs of the National Science 
Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and the Department of Health, Hduca- 
tion, and Welfare will be of major importance to an expanding program in 
oceanography ; for they can result in the education of new young scientists as 
well as in the production of new knowledge. In the coming year, these agencies 
are undertaking to increase the number of fellowship awards and graduate stu- 
dent research contracts, and they also will encourage the development of new 
university programs in oceanography. 
5. OCEAN SURVEYS 
Worldwide surveys of the oceans—their properties, their contents and bound- 
aries—are needed to make charts and maps for use of scientists in their re- 
search programs and for a variety of commercial and defense applications. The 
U.S. ocean survey program of fiscal year 1962 is being increased within the 
limits of ships available for this purpose. I am requesting additional funds to 
allow the Coast and Geodetic Survey to extend the operating season of its exist- 
ing ships, thus making the maximum use of limited ship resources. ; As already 
mentioned, funds are included for a new survey ship which will increase our 
deep-sea survey capability. 
6. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 
Oceanography is a natural area of opportunity for extensive international co- 
operation. Indeed, systematic surveys and research in all the oceans of the 
world represent tasks of such formidable magnitude that international sharing 
of the work is a necessity. 
Our present maps of the oceans are comparable in accuracy and detail to maps 
of the land areas of the earth in the early part of the 18th century. Precise 
methods of measuring ocean depths have become available during the last 10 
years, and these, when combined with new developments in navigation, should 
make possible for the first time modern maps of the topography of the entire sea 
ficor. An accurate mapping of the oceans will require international coopera- 
tion in ship operations and in establishing a worldwide system of navigation. 
Tn these endeavors the United States can play a leading part. 
