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Survey, the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, and others. 

 The first Assistant Secretary, and later Secretary, Spencer F. Baird, 

 was the first Smithsonian oceanographer. During the late 1850's and 

 early 1860's he directed his attention to the population fluctuations of 

 fishes off the New England coast and spent his summers investigating 

 the species and distribution of the fishes off the New England coast. 



Our interest in ichthyology has been continuous since the time of Dr. 

 Baird, Drs. Louis Agassiz, and David Starr Jordan. The Smithsonian 

 Institution is the repository of one of the world's finest collections of 

 marine organisms ranging from algae through clams and fishes to 

 whales, both fossil and recent, which have made the Institution a mecca 

 for scientists engaged in research on marine organisms. 



Our interest in marine geological specimens also dates from the 

 original Smithsonian Institution Act when the Congress provided that 

 all rocks, minerals, geological, and biological specimens collected by 

 any U.S. Government agency and brought into the District of Co- 

 lumbia shall belong to the Smithsonian Institution. As reaffirmed 

 and broadened by the Geological Survey Act of 1879, the reference to 

 the District of Columbia was eliminated. We have substantial geologi- 

 cal collections of rocks, minerals, and sediments. 



The Smithsonian Institution's contributions to biological ocean- 

 ography has been recognized by numerous national committees en- 

 trusted with the task of developing a U.S. national program in 

 oceanography. For example, the National Academy of Sciences report 

 entitled "Oceanography 1960 to 1970" stiates "Many lines of marine 

 research depend upon precise definition of species. The study of species 

 is centered in research museums which generally have been supported 

 very poorly. It is recommended that established museums having sig- 

 nificant study collections be given financial support so that this kind 

 of work can be carried forward." 



In December 1962 an advisory committee consisting of scientists 

 from universities, private oceanographic groups, and Government 

 agencies, chaired by Dr. Milner B. Schaefer, now science adviser to the 

 Secretary of the Interior, met to review the role of the Smithsonian 

 in the national oceanography program, and in their January 2, 1963, 

 report concluded : 



The responsibility of the Smithsonian Institution to the National Oceanographic 

 Program should he, in consultation with other appropriate agencies, to carry 

 out, or arrange for, the preservation and study of collections of materials made 

 by Federal agencies, and of other collections which may be referred to the In- 

 stitution. These will include both biological and geological materials, but will 

 not ordinarily include water samples. Collections made by other Federal agencies 

 for their own research programs should come to the Institution when no tonger 

 needed for investigations in progress. 



Collections will come from three sources : 



(1) From the routine collections made as part of the world ocean survey. 



(2) From research cruises and expeditions of other agencies. Inasmuch as a 

 large part of such collections will be made for specific research objectives of other 

 agencies, they will, in general be studied by them before permanent transfer to 

 the Smithsonian. Other collections may be deposited immediately with the Smith- 

 sonian, at the discretion of the collecting agency. 



(3) Collections by personnel of the Institution, either aboard ships operated 

 by ithers, or from vessels operated by the Institution. The latter should pri- 

 marily be to fill in gaps in knowledge not otherwise properly obtainable. 



With regard to collections made under (1) and (2), the Institution, should, 

 when feasible, participate in the planning of the operations, and, where its 



