NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 247 



Now, let's go back to the question. I think to take all oceanography 

 and put it in a single agency would create problems of the kind we have 

 had with respect to the relationship oetween oceanography and 

 meteorology in a little bitty microcosm in our own department. You 

 can't separate the problem of oceanography from the problem of 

 meterology for aircraft. 



You have a problem here of insuring that the whole program of 

 oceanography, for whatever purposes, is adequately carried out. I 

 believe that if you set up a separate agency, you will do more harm 

 than good to the interaction of oceanography with all of the diverse 

 activities of the public, both private and Government. 



Mr. Downing. Mr. Secretary, how can you say that, in view of our 

 experience with NASA? 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Because NASA is a different animal. 



Mr. Downing. No; it isn't. Now, you take the meteorology, 

 weather. NASA is contributing toward this ; our weather, the TIROS 

 satellites. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Right. But we fund 



Mr. Downing. It is working hand in glove with your Weather 

 Department. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Right, but there is a program of operational and 

 development of the use of satellites for weather in the Department 

 of Commerce, and we fund it. 



Mr. Downing. But it is under NASA. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. It isn't. I beg your pardon, sir. 



Mr. Downing. You transfer funds to NASA to carry on your 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Only for the construction and launching of the 

 satellites. We operate all the read-out stations; we operate; we 

 integrate, interpret the results; we develop the instruments. It is 

 not centrally located. 



Mr. Downing. But you still have one agency, NASA, which co- 

 ordinates the whole thing. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. The weather use of satellites is the responsibility 

 of the Weather Bureau, not of NASA. By action of Congress. 



Mr. Downing. You are not getting through to me, Mr. Secretary. 

 That is my fault. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. No. 



Mr. Downing. How do you do it? For instance, is it manganese 

 that we have to import ? 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Manganese 



Mr. Downing. Now, there is manganese on the bottom of the 

 ocean. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Downing. Is the Government doing anything to experiment 

 to extract manganese ? 



Dr. HoLLOMON. I can't answer the question explicitly, but I am 

 sure that there have been studies of the economic benefits of recover- 

 ing manganese. I know of one study by a private corporation. 



Mr, Downing. Have you extracted one ounce of manganese from 

 the bottom of the ocean ? 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Yes, sir — I don't know. I think there have been 

 pilot plans on this. 



