NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 571 



soon be forced to look to the seas as a new source of materials. The 

 seabed and subsoil of the oceans contain minerals of incalculable value; 

 these areas are rich in petroleum, tin, sulfur, iron, and coal ; the south- 

 west African coast contams vast diamond deposits; gold is found off 

 Alaska, and phospherite off California. The deep ocean floor harboi-s 

 extensive deposits of manganese nodules, which contain such impor- 

 tant minerals as iron, nickel, copper, lead, and zinc. The challenge for 

 this country is to develop equipment that will enable the economic re- 

 covery of these minerals from the ocean bed, and to do so before any 

 other nation can claim squatters rights on the areas. Since manganese 

 nodules form at the rate of 10 million tons a year, a rate many times 

 that of present world consumption, the world will have an inexhaust- 

 ible supply of these metals once technology has been developed for re- 

 covering these nodules, and separating their basic elements. 



Another important natural resource is sea water itself, which con- 

 tains a good amount of salts and minerals in solution. Here again, 

 technology must be de^dsed to extract these minerals, since their bene- 

 fits to industry and society would be immeasurable. Work should 

 also be done on the desalinization process so that sea water can be 

 rendered fit for human consumption at small expense. The people 

 in the Northeastern States realize now more than ever the importance 

 of being able to extract drinking water from the sea. 



A national commitment to oceanography, then, would enable us 

 to effectively use all of our resources. S. 944 is designed to stimulate 

 the acquisition of knowledge and technology in the field of oceanog- 

 raphy; the committees outlined in this legislation would provide a 

 comprehensive program of ocean technology, engineering, and re- 

 search, embracing the expolitation and development of the capability 

 to do useful work with the seas. They would be groups that would 

 put together some real objectives in the new and important field of 

 oceanography. I strongly favor an increased national concern with 

 oceanography, and therefore urge your favorable report on this legis- 

 lation. 



Mr. Rogers. The subcommittee thanks you for a very fine statement. 



We have as our next witness Prof. Qiarles Stephan, who agreed 

 to stay over last night and brief us on a recent project which this 

 committee is very interested in. 



STATEMENT OF PROF. CHARLEiS STEPHAN, CHAIRMAN, DEPART- 

 MENT OF OCEAN ENGINEERING, FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVER- 

 SITY, BOCA RATON, FLA— Resumed 



Mr. Stephan. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to discuss in a prelim- 

 inary fashion. Project Neptune Atlantic, which was sponsored by the 

 Office of Naval Research, Biology Branch, under Dr. Sidney Galler, 

 and run under my direction in July 1965. 



As I did not expect to make this presentation until yesterday, I 

 request your indulgence as I refer to some rather rough notes pre]^ared 

 without reference to project data which is still being assembled. 



Mr. Rogers. We appreciate that. 



Mr. Stephan. To start, sir, if I may I would like to give the objec- 

 tive of this particular cruise. 



