The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-01-05
NAVY To STUDY.
RESERVOIRS
Of SEA
Expedition Hopes to Aid Fish
ernen and Learn Cause
Of Radio Static
By international News Service.

The vast possibilities Of the sea
as a reservoir Of food and other
necessities of mankind are to be
exploited by the United States Navy
on scientific expedition, the re-
suits of which are expected to be
of the utmost economic value.
- The u. s. S. Rainbow, a Govern
ment3 vessel especially fitted out
for oceanographic researches, Will
GO to the Gulf of Mexico shortly
to begin collecting data of far
reaching economic importance, I'M
der plans being completed by the
Conference on Oceanography.
The expedition was suggested by
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, then
Acting. Secretary Of the Navy, to
examine the floor Of the ocean by
means Of the Sonic Depth Finder.
At the conference one scientist
after another told OF important
problems which might be studied,
and the Navy Department began to
realize that the purposes or the
expedition would be gigantic.
Objects OF Expedition.
The main objects are discovering,
developing and utilizing the re-
sources of the sea; facilitating navi-
CATION Of the sea, and or the ar
and improving communication Dy
radio and by submarine cable; pro-
noting the welfare OF mankind
through scientific discovery and
the progress Of knowledge, and safe
guard human life.
The expedition hopes to develop
better means OF predicting weather
conditions, particularly the periods
of rainfall and drought and their
duration. This will mean better
control Of the agricultural produc'
ton Of the land.
A full knowledge or ocean depths
and bottom contours will aid navi'
cation and fishing, and viii indicate
the most economical and adVen-
tageous cable routes. BY 1nvestl-
eating tidal currents and the drlIt
Of icehergs the expedition hopes to
safeguard shipping and help rlsher-
men in their operations.
Expects to Find Volcanoes.
The expedition hopes to discover
deposits Of oil, ores and other re-
sources of economic Importance.
In making a map of the topogra-
phy of the ocean bottom, the scien-
lists expect to find mountain
ranges, old shore lines and subma-
rine volcanoes. They say that the
contours of the ocean bottoms in
fluence the weather cycle. The
scientists also expect to locate the
sourse Of earthquakes and tidal
waves.
The Mississippi embayment is
undergoing depression and possibly
faultinE, It was said at the con-
ference. It is believed that an
intensive study Of this euabay tnent
NAV result in information leading
to notifications in the policies OF
Mississippi River Improvement and
food control.
In this connection the SCIENTISTS
hope to discover whether the mil
lions of tons of soil washed from
the banks Of the Mississippi into
the Gulf Of Mexico every year
made such a weight on the sea
floor that earthquakes resulted in
Mexico and Central American coun-
tries.
Static to Be Investigated.
Captain Ridley Mclean said the
expedition would investigate static
the enemy Of the radio men.
1--WE want data concerning inter-
ference in remote portions of the
globe between high-powered sta
TONS" he said. 1--WE have reports
from many parts of the world on
interference that we did not sus-
pect existed. When the itinerary