Since the removal of these restrictions, through the combined efforts of all per- 

 sons interested in advancing hydrodynamics and ship construction, remarkable 

 advances have been achieved. Twenty years ago any proposal for the construc- 

 tion of a 100,000-ton hull would have been greeted with skepticism. Today mag- 

 azines routinely report the plans for 300,000-ton ships on the back pages. Sub- 

 marine designs for years called for construction of boats that would barely 

 submerge below the lower limits of the continental shelves. Today the deep 

 submersible is capable of extended operations at 6000 feet or more. 



The impetus of the petroleum industry's search for offshore oil fields has 

 brought home a realization that dynamics of the ocean must be understood be- 

 fore safe and suitable platforms and drill rigs may be constructed. When we 

 view the future, it is obvious hydrod5mamics is a vital and rapidly moving sci- 

 ence and the years to come will open new vistas for the benefits of humanity 

 through the efforts of those assembled here today. 



In preparing for this symposium, we wish to express our thanks to the ef- 

 forts of the Davidson Laboratory of Stevens Institute in planning and managing 

 the many and varied aspects of the symposium. We also wish to acknowledge 

 the outstanding support given us by the Hydromechanics Laboratory of the David 

 Taylor Model Basin* for their participation in the initial planning of the tech- 

 nical program. 



*The Naval Ship Research and Development Center as of March 1967. 



