Remarks at the Commissioning of the Research Ship - Oceanographer.

Secretary and Mrs. Connor, Reverend Harris, Captain Wardwell, my beloved friend Senator Magnuson, Governor Burns of Hawaii, distinguished Members of Congress, guests, ladies and gentlemen:

We meet here today at the beginning of a new age of exploration.

To some, this might mean our adventures in outer space. But I am speaking of exploring an unknown world at our doorstep. It is really our last frontier here on earth. I am speaking of mountain chains that are yet to be discovered, of natural resources that are yet to be tapped, of a vast wilderness that is yet to be charted.

This is the sea around us.

And while our knowledge of the sea is quite primitive, we do know something of its great potential for the betterment of the human race and all mankind.

We know that we can, for instance, greatly improve our weather predictions. We can save thousands of lives and millions of dollars in property each year. We just must start learning more about the sea.

We know that the sea holds a great promise of transforming arid regions of the earth into new, rich, and productive farmlands.

We know that beneath the sea are countless minerals and fuels which can be found and can be exploited.

We know--most important of all--that the sea holds the ultimate answer to food for the exploding population in the world. Nearly four-fifths of all life on earth actually exists in salt water.

So, using science and technology, we must develop improved ways of taking food from the ocean.

But catching fish is just not enough. It has been said that throughout history we have been simple hunters of the sea. Men must now learn how to farm the sea.

Our scientists are developing a process for turning whole fish into a tasteless but highly nutritious protein concentrate which can be used as a supplement to our daily diet.

In addition, the United States Senate has recently passed a bill for the construction of several pilot plants to begin the commercial development of this fish protein food. The daily output of one of these plants would provide enough high protein supplement for well over half a million people each day.

So, it is toward a goal of understanding all aspects of the sea that we commission the - Oceanographer today.

- Oceanographer is one of the Coast and Geodetic Survey's 14 research ships which will begin to help us to explore the environment around us. Her sister ship, the - Discoverer, is under construction and also will be commissioned shortly.

In the past decade, our support of marine science and technology has grown from some $21 million to more than $320 million.

The Federal research fleet today totals 115 vessels.

Our progress has been the handiwork, of course, of many men. These men are in and out of Government. But the Nation owes a very particular debt to those Members of the Congress, men such as our distinguished Senator Magnuson of Washington, who is here today and whose efforts have accomplished so much for oceanography over the last decade.

I want to pay tribute to the Secretary, the Under Secretary, the Assistant Secretaries, all the employees of the Department of Commerce and the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and other Government officials.

But I also want to say that today we must redouble our efforts. In the months ahead, we shall establish our priorities, we shall then set our timetables--and we shall follow them, just as we have followed an orderly and relentless program for the exploration of space. And the distinguished Scientific Adviser to the President, Dr. Hornig, is going to keep seeing that we do this. Because the frontier of the deep challenges our real spirit and we want to see that that challenge from the deep is fully met.

My Science Advisory Committee has recently completed a report on the "Effective Use of the Sea." Through Dr. Hornig I am releasing that report today. I should like to commend it to the attention of all Americans.

I commend it, in particular, to the 100 outstanding high school students who have joined us here today and who have come to the Capital from throughout the States of this Union. I hope that there are among you some of the great oceanographers of tomorrow. You could not choose, in my judgment, a more important or a more challenging career.

I am referring this report from my Science Advisory Committee to the new National Council on Marine Resources and Engineering set up by statute under the leadership of Senator Magnuson. This Council will be headed by our distinguished Vice President; distinguished members of the Cabinet and others will serve on it.

This Council will survey all marine science activities to provide for this Nation a comprehensive program in this field. I will ask them to complete their initial recommendations by the time the new Congress convenes next January.

Truly great accomplishments in oceanography will require the cooperation of all the maritime nations of the world. And so today I send our voice out from this platform calling for such cooperation, requesting it, and urging it.

To the Soviet Union--a major maritime power--I today extend our earnest wish that you may join with us in this great endeavor.

In accordance with these desires I am happy to announce that one of the first long voyages of - Oceanographer will be a 6-month global expedition in which the scientists from a number of our great nations will participate. It is our intention to invite Great Britain, West Germany, France, the U.S.S.R., India, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Peru to participate in the first round-the-world voyage of - Oceanographer.

We greatly welcome this type of international participation. Because under no circumstances, we believe, must we ever allow the prospects of rich harvests and mineral wealth to create a new form of colonial competition among the maritime nations. We must be careful to avoid a race to grab and to hold the lands under the high seas. We must ensure that the deep seas and the ocean bottoms are, and remain, the legacy of all human beings.

The sea--yes, the great sea--in the words of Longfellow, "divides and yet unites mankind."

So to Captain Wardwell and his distinguished officers and men of - Oceanographer, we say today: Yours is a most worthwhile mission. May you bring back much for the benefit of all humanity.

We congratulate you on the commissioning of your marvelous new ship. We wish you the Best of results, fair winds, and smooth sailing.

And now I look forward with a great deal of personal pleasure to the opportunity to view the ship and some of the developments at first hand.

Thank you very much.