688 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 
Nature has a way of making fools of men who tamper with her without first 
arming themselves with knowledge of her reactions. 
Improvements of transportation, protection against coastal erosion, improved 
ship design, protection of life and property at sea, better marine navigation 
through better charts, protection against natural hazards such as seismic sea 
waves (the misnamed ‘tidal waves’), marine storms, coastal flooding, and ice- 
bergs, all of these things depend for their final solution on increased knowledge 
of the ocean and the processes that go on within it. These are mainly economic 
benefits that can be expected from an increased effort in oceonography. 
Perhaps the most apparent aspect of oceanography, and certainly the aspect 
eurrently capable of obtaining the most support, is that of military defense. In 
any conflict, the side that is most familiar with the environment in which the 
fighting is taking place has a decided advantage over the other. It is primarily 
for this reason that the Navy is supporting a strong and diversified effort in 
marine science. More specifically, the effort is related to hiding our submarines 
and finding those of a hostile power, to having our ships equipped with the best 
knowledge and predictions of the marine conditions they will encounter, having 
our naval forees utilize the sea to their advantage and to the disadvantage of any 
antagonist. Since any future conflict will in large part be waged over, on, 
and under the sea, it is imperative that the United States know more about the 
sea than anyone else. It is that simple and that urgent. 
The point to be made from all this is that man has at last come to realize 
the importance of knowledge of the sea to his future survival. Within the 
United States we have made our first attempt to establish a program whereby 
this knowledge will be realized effectively and efficiently. The bold new venture 
has in fact commenced. 
