I want. Instead, to say a few words about what the 

 military can do for oceanography and what oceanography 

 can do for the country and the world. When I say mili- 

 tary, I refer primarily to the Navy which is responsible 

 for virtually all of the Defense Department's oceanog- 

 graphic programs. 



I am convinced, as I am sure most of you are, that 

 ocean exploration and exploitation offers a challenge 

 just as great as that posed by the current exploration 

 of outer space. This challenge will be shared by both 

 government and private industry working together. The 

 discoveries which will be made by th,e "hydronauts" who 

 explore ocean space will be no less dramatic than those 

 made by astronauts- -in some ways exploitations of the 

 seas will be more vital to the future generations 

 living on our planet. 



Oceanography, of course, is an old story with the 

 Navy--a century and a quarter old. It goes back to 

 Matthew Fontaine Maury who was probably the world's 

 first true oceanographer. He ran the Navy's Depot of 

 Charts and Instruments which through several evolutions 

 became the current U. S. Naval Oceanographic Office. 

 He had a basic understanding of the dominant influence 

 of the oceans on the world's weather. His studies of 

 winds and currents enabled the fabled Clipper ships to 

 set their astounding speed records. And his knowledge of 

 the Atlantic Ocean and its currents was a factor in the 

 successful laying of the first transatlantic cables. 



His contemporary. Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, who 

 headed the first scientific exploring expedition ever 

 financed by the American Congress, was also an oceanog- 

 rapher of imagination and talent. 



I have turned back to recall these half -forgotten 

 Naval officers to make a point. My point is that the 

 Navy not only has a long history of leadership in the 

 field of oceanography but that from the very beginning 

 it has willingly used its oceanographic skills to ad- 

 vance the national welfare. 



I want to emphasize this point because we in the 

 Navy must take a broader view than ever before of our 

 responsibilities in this field of oceanography--the 

 Navy's area of special competence. 



XIV 



