jointly recognized that the agencies present are engaged in diverse 

 bottom sampling, bottom coring, and bottom structure studies of the shelf. 

 It was also recognized that it would be of considerable value if all the 

 agencies were informed of the studies and sampling activities of the other 

 agencies , including a knowledge of the types of analyses being made on the 

 bottom samples and cores and the storage plan for the bottom samples and 

 cores . 



Our meeting today is, then, in the nature of an information inter- 

 change on the Continental Shelf studies and sampling activities of the 

 agencies, including their contractors. We are not so much interested 

 today in the conclusions from the studies, but rather in the scope and 

 contents of the field studies, includimg sampling, and the disposition 

 of the field data and the samples. 



I will not be able to stay for all of the meeting due to other com- 

 mitments, but those in the Corps who are most concerned with these matters 

 will be here. I trust you will all find it to be an informative and 

 pleasant meeting - as I believe you will. 



Thank you. 



INTRODUCTION TO THE CONFERENCE 

 by 



Joseph M. Caldwell 

 Chief Technical Advisor, CERC 



I have been asked to act as Chairman of the meeting, and so my remarks 

 will be in that capacity. All of you have copies of the agenda, and can 

 see that we have promise of an interesting day. I know certain of you have 

 statements or remarks to make but you do not appear by name on the agenda. 

 Please excuse these omissions but your intentions became known to us after 

 we had prepared the agenda, and we have provided time at the end of the 

 meeting this afternoon for all who have additional remarks to make. We 

 have a rather full agenda, as you can see, and I would ask all speakers to 

 help us by keeping to the time as set on the schedule. We hope that each 

 speaker will reserve some time at the end of his talk for questions and 

 discussion. 



We will assemble and distribute the proceedings of this conference in 

 a somewhat abbreviated form; the distribution will extend to a number of 

 persons and agencies which are not present. Before publication, the pro- 

 ceedings, as prepared, will be submitted for approval to the individuals 

 who are giving papers. 



Our first speaker this morning is Mr. F. J. Barry, The Solicitor of 

 the Department of The Interior. 



