60 



Both of these events pointed out the fact that this country does 

 not have the capability of search and salvage and this gave impetus 

 to this program. 



I do not have its present fiscal status at my fingertips, but I assure 

 you I will communicate to the council and to the Vice President your 

 concern about this. 



Mr. EoGERs. Will you let the committee know what steps you think 

 should be taken to be helpful in these programs ? 



Dr. Wenk. Surely. 



(The information follows:) 



Status of Deep Submekgence Search Vehicle 



The following information has been provided by Department of the Navy- 

 staff in response to Congressman Roger's question about the Deep Submergence 

 Search Vehicle: 



The Navy is negotiating the competitive design contract for a DSSV and this 

 contract will be awarded this fall. The Navy would not award such a contract 

 without the intention of a least completing a prototype DSSV. 



The Navy has not yet received their Congressional appropriation for the 

 DSSV. At the present stage of developing the budget, $9 million have been 

 deferred from the Navy's deep submergence program. Such deferrals are not 

 unusual in this or any other fiscal year and are frequently made pending a 

 more detailed program definition and/or description. 



Mr. Rogers. I think it is urgent to get this capability. This will be 

 the basis for industry's participation to a great extent, I think. 



What would you say is probably the greatest need in oceanography 

 right now ? I realize this is a very broad question, but, to give it the 

 greatest impetus, what do you think is needed? 



Dr. Wenk. That is a difficult question. 



Mr. Rogers. Would you rather submit that for the record? 



Dr. Wenk. I have an offhand impression and that there is not 

 broad enough understanding of how important the seas are to our 

 national interest. There has been a sort of "gee whiz" fascination with 

 it, but that can be superficial and it can be temporary and it does not 

 reveal the much deeper historical interests that this country has had 

 in the sea and the gaps that now exist in terms of understanding the 

 sea and in utilizing it in our national interest. 



Somehow or other I feel that this understanding is not quite as 

 broad or deep as the situation warrants. 



Mr. Rogers. I think that is a pretty good summary of the greatest 

 need. I think this is true. 



Although we have developed greatly an understanding of the need 

 for the development in the field of oceanography, I think still we have 

 not yet developed the urgency of the need for development and I am 

 hopeful that this committee and the Congress can be helpful in doing 

 this. Certainly the Council can exert a great deal of leadership, which 

 I know you are trying to do, but I hope the Council will do even more 

 in this area. 



Dr. Wenk. I appreciate your comments. In turn, the Vice Presi- 

 dent, as you know, has said that he is pleased that, even though there 

 is no explicit legislation before your committee, that you have taken 

 the time to look at this question 1 year after the Council was estab- 

 lished. It is this kind of a step which does help gain some broader 

 understandings of the problems. 



