105 



The National Council has done an excellent job under that very able 

 executive director. Dr. Wenk, in accomplishing a stimulus in the var- 

 ious groups that was not present before the Council was created. 



However, the response to the stimulus from my observations has 

 not been as great with the Coast and Geodetic Survey as it has with 

 the Geological Survey and I am talking about the material in ap- 

 pendix 1 of their marine geology program. 



Might I point out that the Geological Survey and Navy have just 

 completed phase I of a study of the Continental Shelf, the slope and 

 the deep ocean areas of the Gulf of Mexico. 



This investigation has been going on a year and the naval vessel 

 Kane together with the Geological Survey have just completed 15,000 

 miles of survey trek doing profiles of the deep subbottom high resolu- 

 tion profiles of the shallow subbottom, bottom topography, total mag- 

 netic field, sea surface salinity. 



Total gravity field measurements were made in the Eastern Gulf 

 and from June to August the Kane will be taking station observations 

 of the water columns and sedimentary cores and returning in Sep- 

 tember with an AGOR to make acoustic measurements. 



The Gulf of Mexico is one of the areas that is the most important 

 for us to obtain knowledge of its structure. This was proposed by this 

 committee some years ago to the Coast and Geodetic Survey, in fact 

 right after the original National Academy of Science report was 

 presented. 



It has not been done but it is now being done. Does that answer 

 your question, sir ? 



Mr. Keith. No. 



Captain Bauek. If you will continue, the Caribbean Sea survey 

 is the next one. 



Mr. Keith. I would like to ask you if your observations and con- 

 clusions were conveyed to the Marine Resources Commission as they 

 conducted their research ? 



Captain Batjek. I did not testify nor was I asked to testify to the 

 Marine Resources Commission. 



Mr. Keith. Do you know of any witnesses sharing your views that 

 did bring them to Ihe attention of the Marine Resources Commission ? 



Captain Bauer. I believe the Geological Survey made a presen- 

 tation. 



Dr. Pecora is listed in the report as a witness. All I have to go on 

 is the contents in the four volumes of the Commission's report. 



Mr. Keith. It was a blue ribbon commission and was sufficiently 

 competent to seek out all variations of opinion. 



Captain Batter. That is correct. 



I am quite surprised, for example, to find that they apparently 

 stress more, some of the outstanding programs that have been going on 

 for 2 years that I have described, especially in the satellite oceanog- 

 raphy program which has been going on for 3 years in a joint venture 

 between the Geological Survey, the United States Navy, the Air Force, 

 NASA, and ESSA. 



Mr. Keith. I know that the members of this subcommittee have had 

 a tremendous feeling of confidence in the competence and perspective 

 of the members of the Commission, with whom we have met on many 

 occasions. 



26-563— 69— pt. 1 8 



