137 



Admiral Smith. I think that one of our principal problems in 

 the regulations has been in the manning area. And I know this is one 

 of the real problems some of the organizations have that operate the 

 vessels. 



On the other hand, the laws are quite clear here, so that we haven't 

 been able to succeed with all the things they would like to be able to 

 do with respect to the qualifications of the personnel and the benefits 

 that are accrued to the merchant marine personnel under the law. 



I think we have done some of the things that we — they were con- 

 cerned about the status of the scientists and engineers aboard the ships. 

 But ships of certain tonnages and certain characteristics, under our 

 laws, will require manning by people who have been licensed and 

 certificated as competent to go to sea. 



Mr. Drewry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon. Admiral, can you perceive that any time in the pro- 

 jected future there is the possibility of the construction on the ocean 

 bed beyond the Continental Shelf of undersea structures that could 

 become ultimately a potential danger to either life or safety ? 



Admiral Smith. Mr. Chairman, I am not a scientist nor an engineer. 

 I can only report the results of some meetings that we have had with 

 people that are studying these matters. And they seem to be of the 

 opinion that within the next 10 to 15 years that the matter of man 

 living under the sea will be far enough advanced so that it might be 

 perfectly possible to — instead of building a platform to drill for oil, 

 that you might build a rig right on the bottom of the ocean with men 

 living in it, and proceeding to and from this rig by some type of a 

 submersible craft, and working down under the ocean rather than 

 above the surface of the ocean. 



Mr. Lennon. It is a fact that off the Pacific coast off California 

 and the State of Washington that your Continental Shelves begin to — 

 in a very few cases — begin as little as a mile from the shore, isn't it ? 



I have read that, but I don't know how true it is. 



Admiral Smith. In some places on that coast it drops off quite 

 rapidly. 



Mr. Lennon. It is pretty close to shore. I think the average distance 

 on the west coast to where the Continental Shelf begins is about 12 or 

 16 miles, on an average, less distance than it is on the east coast. 



That brings me to your position and the Coast Guard's position 

 on the so-called proposal or resolution — and I know you are familiar 

 with it — that would vest in the United Nations as trustees the ocean 

 bed beyond the Continental Shelf of all of the oceans of the world. 

 They would administer it and make the decisions as to who should 

 exploit it or utilize it, and for what purposes, and where the funds and 

 final resources would go. 



I wonder if such a thing becomes a reality and the United Nations, 

 holding the sea beds beyond the Continental Shelves, should see fit to 

 lease to a foreign country a part of the Continental Shelf right off 

 our shores, so to speak, on the west coast or the east coast, either, how 

 would that affect our defense posture? And how would it affect the 

 missions that you have ? 



There are a lot of real problems, it seems to me, that are posed by 

 this resolution, which will be presented in the presentation of the 

 United Nations General Assembly. 



86-705— 68— pt. 1 10 



