NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 
foreign oceanographic programs. Like ours they 
are changing in both respects. Up-to-date figures 
are not always available even when free access to 
official information is granted, and in the case of 
the USSR, the program of perhaps greatest size 
and interest, this access is not free. Also, definitions 
are not uniform. For example, foreign programs 
show about three technicians for every scientist 
where the U.S. shows only one. Perhaps a third 
or more of the foreign technicians might be 
classed equally well as scientists, effectively 
doubling the numbers given in the sections which 
follow. What is known, however, indicates that 
the United States, the USSR, Japan, the United 
Kingdom, and Canada, lead the other nations of 
the world in the extent and quality of their 
programs. 
It has been the declared intention of the 
President and the Congress that the U.S. should 
maintain world leadership in this field of science. 
The following discussion should help illuminate 
this country’s present position in terms of size, 
scope, and quality. In a field where so much 
opportunity exists for new discoveries, there is 
never room for complacency. 
A. USSR 
The USSR is reputed to have more than 60 - 70 
ships available for oceanographic research though 
undoubtedly many of these do double duty as 
mother ships for fishing fleets or act as icebreakers 
and as naval escorts or supply ships. Their fishing 
fleet of over 3000 vessels, deployed to fishing 
grounds all over the world, presumably contrib- 
utes to the collection of oceanographic data also. 
It is also likely that many of their merchant fleet, 
now consisting of something over 1000 ships and 
growing rapidly, take observations of near-surface 
oceanographic conditions as well as reporting 
meteorological conditions into the world synoptic 
weather net. 
Their best known research ships are the 
MIKHAIL LOMONOSOV, built in 1957 of about 
5960 displacement tons with some 16 oceano- 
graphic laboratories and space for about 75 scien- 
tists on board; the VITIAZ, similar in size though 
built in 1939; the SVERYANKA, a research sub- 
marine; and the 12,000-ton OB, built in 1953. 
In addition to these floating laboratories, two other 
large ships of about 4600 tons, the PETR 
LEBEDEV and the SERGEY VAVILOV, were re- 
40 
473 
fitted in 1960 while the SEVASTOPOL, a 2500 
tonner, has been in the research fleet since 1951. 
The ZARYA, a small sailing ship, is the world’s 
only nonmagnetic research vessel. The exact 
size of their professional oceanographic scien- 
tific staff is not known but is estimated at about 
500 - 700 scientists and about 1600 technicians, 
thus considerably smaller than that of the U. S. 
Their work is of broad scope and generally high 
quality. It is of interest to note that the Soviet 
Interdepartmental Coordination Scientific Council 
on the study of the oceans and seas is somewhat 
similar in concept to the ICO. 
B. Japan 
The Japanese effort in oceanography is now 
estimated to have passed that of Great Britain 
and to rank behind only those of the U. S. and 
the USSR. It has traditionally been concerned 
with the problems of fisheries, shipping, and pro- 
tection against marine catastrophes such as 
tsunamis, storm surges, and typhoons. These 
preoccupations, natural to an island nation with 
a dense population, little arable land, and modest 
mineral resources, have resulted in a strong em- 
phasis on applied research and a program con- 
ducted almost entirely within the governmental 
meteorological, fisheries, and hydrographic agen- 
cies. Though some 16 or so universities have 
facilities for oceanographic and fisheries studies, 
their role in Japanese oceanography has been 
primarily educational. In addition to excellent 
fisheries research, Japanese oceanography has 
long been considered to excel in air-sea inter- 
action studies, tsunami prediction, sea water chem- 
istry, and problems of the Kuroshio current 
dynamics. 
Recent developments indicate a trend towards 
more basic research and broader scope. A new 
Oceanographic Institute devoted to basic research 
is planned for Tokyo University, and two re- 
search vessels of about 300 tons are to be built for 
its use. Greater emphasis on physical, chemical, 
and geological oceanography can be expected in 
the future. 
This broadening interest is already manifest in 
the recently initiated program of “Japanese Ex- 
peditions to the Deep Sea,” a continuing series, 
four of which have already taken place. 
Japan’s traditional willingness to participate in 
international surveys and expeditions, as well as 
