156 MARINE SCIENCE 



oceans, the atmosphere, and the solid earth, not bhly by scientists who are 

 engaged in gaining a better understanding of our physical environment in all 

 of its aspects, but also by our Federal agencies and bureaus which must think 

 in terms of natural resources and national defense. Any support, therefore, 

 that can be given to one of the broad areas of earth science will inevitably 

 provide some support for the others. The program envisioned in your biU, 

 therefore, has my very strong support, and we propose here at M.I.T, to take 

 immediate steps to carry out some of the major objectives envisioned in your 

 bill and recommended by the Committee on Oceanography (NAS-NRC). 



Two specific actions may be mentioned. We are submitting an application 

 to the Office of Naval Research through Dr. James H. Wakelin, Jr.'s office for 

 funds to support a 5-year program of oceanographic research and instruction 

 at M.I.T. which will involve close cooperation with the Woods Hole Oceano- 

 graphic Institution. Concurrently we are submitting an application to the 

 National Science Foundation for funds to start a 5-year graduate research train- 

 ing program in the earth sciences. These two proposals are closely coupled 

 parts of a plan to develop at M.I.T. a major center for earth sciences. In or- 

 ganizing the program of this center we need support in every phase of earth 

 science. The proposals mentioned are primarily for support in oceanography. 

 I believe that your bill would be of very great assistance to Federal agencies 

 and bureaus in providing for them a way by which they can help institutions 

 like M.I.T. to carry out the training and research programs that we feel we 

 are competent to conduct. 



I am most enthusiastic about your bill and hope very much that it can be 

 passed by Congress. If there is any way in which I can be of assistance to your 

 committee, please let me know. 

 Sincerely yours, 



ROBEKT R. Shbock, Chairman. 



Massachusetts Institute op Technology, 



Department of Meteorology, 

 Gamhridge, Mass., December 10, 1959. 

 Re S. 2692. 



Committee on Intesistate and Foreign Commerce, 

 U.S. Senate, New Senate Offlce Building, 

 Washington, B.C. 



Gentlemen : I am pleased to have the opportunity to comment on this bill 

 which is designed to advance the recommendations of the Committee on Oceano- 

 graphy of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council. 



I first wish to state that I stronglj^ concur in the need for an expanded program 

 of oceanographic research and surveys. I have had the opi)ortunity to meet 

 with, and to study the reports of, the Committee on Oceanography and feel that 

 their recommendations are sound and are well designed to accomplish oceano- 

 graphic research and surveys so urgently needed in the national interest. 



The greatly expanded program envisaged in this bill will require a considera- 

 ble number of well-trained scientists. Research is done by people and no amount 

 of equipment will lead to important advances in knowledge without a sufficient 

 number of able and dedicated scientists. I note, with approval, that the bill 

 provides for fellowships for the training of students in the marine sciences. 

 I also note the authorization, on page 18, of assistance to educational institu- 

 tions in the form of equipment and teachers' salaries. I am nevertheless some- 

 what concerned that more emphasis is not placed on the scientific manpower 

 problem which I consider to be of overriding importance to the entire program. 

 There are very few institutions of higher learning in this country which offer 

 advanced training in the marine sciences. All of them require facilities and 

 teaching staff and it may be in the national interest to encourage and support 

 the establishment of courses of instruction in the marine sciences at a number 

 of additional institutions. 



I note with concern the almost complete absence of reference to the essential 

 relationships between the oceans and the atmosphere. The only specific refer- 

 ence is in paragraph (e) on page 15 in which the Weather Bureau is directed 

 to imdertake a comprehensive study of the interchange of energy between the 

 oceans and the atmosphere. Omission of more reference to the atmosphere by 

 the Committee on Oceanography was due to the existence of a companion com- 

 mittee of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, the 



