The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-12-25
The NeW Navy

WaSnlngton.-JuleS Verne1S expIora-
tion of the sea bottom by the mythical
Captain Memo is to have its counter
part in reality, if recommendations
embodied in the final report of the
Conference on Oceanography to the
Secretary of the Navy, made public
today, are put into practice.
The U. s. S. Rainbow, which has
been on service in the Orient, would
be fitted out for oceanographic re-
searches under the plan as outlined by
Lieutenant Commander George E..
Brandt, U. S. Navy, secretary general
of the conference. The region Of the
Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea,
and neighboring parts of the North
Atlantic, extending through the Pam
anna Canal into the Pacific, have been
selected as the starting point of the
expedition. An estimated expenditure
of 1900 would be required at first.
With Captain F. B. Bassett, u. 81
photographer of the navy, as its presi-
dent, the conference recommended
that research work in oceanography
form permanent part of naval ac-s
Invites. Those who took part in the
conference included representatives of
the State, Treasury, War, Navy, In
terror, Agriculture, and Commerce de-
partments, the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, the National Academy of Science
and National Research Council, the
Library of Congress, the Carnegie In
stitution and Shipping Board, as we'll
as Secretary Wilbur, Captain F.. W.
Wallace, editor of Fishing Gazette and
Herbert ]. Browne, long-range weather
forecaster. hfa
A national cooperative program Of
research in oceanography is the goal
seen by the conference. To explore
some of the ocean waters that cover
five-sevenths of the earth's surface
and exploit food, plant and animal re-
sources in them, and gain scientific
geographic, economic and climatic in
formation, is the motive that prompts
it.
The definite objects which the the
conference had in mind are: discover
Ing, developing and utilizing, the re-
sources of the sea; facilitating navi-
cation of the sea and air and improv-
ing communication by radio and SUBJ
marine cable; promoting human well
fare through scientific discovery and
the progress of knowledge and safe
guarding human life. Work in the
North Pacific and North Atlantic
Oceans would be undertaken at later
time.
Among the scientific problems to be
taken up are: shapes, contours and
depths of ocean basins; evaporation
and rain, fog and snow over sea and
land areas; distribution and periodic
changes in atmospheric pressures and
winds; ocean currents and vertical
circulation of ocean waters; sea-water
chemistry; shifting of shore lines,
warping of margins of continents and
submarine upheavals and dislocations;
nature and composition of sea bottom;
previous Ian connections and changes
in existing connections between con-
tinents; areas and features of sub
marine volcanism and earthquake
movement; sedimentation; light pene-
tration in sea water and its bearing
on plant and animal life; distribution
of the intensity of gravity; distribu-
ton, relative abundance and inter-re-
lations of various forms of plant and
animal life; visibility under different
atmospheric conditions; height, length
and velocity of ocean waves, and the
location and extent of fields of static
and electro-static disturbances and in
vestigations of other forms of atmos-
preric electricity.
Included in the practical results
which the conference expects, are:
discovery of new fishing banks as aid
to food supply; full understanding of
climate and developing of better
means of predicting weather condi-
tions; solution of weather problems
affecting sea and air navigation;
knowledge of iceberg drifts; location
of deposits of oil, ores and other eco
nomically important resources; and
of radio communication
and reduction of operating cost Of
radio stations. Specimens Of scientific.
Importance would be transferred to
the National Museum for study, ex-
change or other disposition, agreed on
with the navy.
Cubans prefer to ride in new and