"Good Evening. My name is Oscar Gugen. I am the founder and chairman of the British Sub-Aqua Club. I have no special qualifications to appear before you tonight, apart from my belief in a new world - the underwater world.
It is my privilege to draw your attention to a series of Underwater programmes which the BBC Television Service will show you in six instalments every Friday evening at 9 p.m. starting this Friday. The BBC has gone to a great deal of trouble to bring you these exclusive underwater programmes.
Dr. Hass and his charming wife, Lotte, are both old friends of mine, and I feel that they are greatly responsible for popularising our sport, although today they are mainly concerned with Scientific Underwater Research. Hans even told me recently that he originally studied law, but after having taken up underwater swimming as a hobby, he became so fascinated that he abandoned law for Marine Biology. Many of you may have taken this sport up after having read one or other of his books, or after having seen his films.
Although our climate and temperature of water may not be as suitable at all times as the seas of other countries, the number of enthusiasts in this new sport per head of population is by no means less than in other countries. I know many of you will be fascinated by Dr. Hans Hass and Lotte's daring exploits under the Seven Seas and will be tempted to follow their example.
Space travel is very much in everyone's mind today, but it is still a matter of the future. Underwater exploration, however, is today an absolute possibility and the enthusiasts of today will be the pioneers of tomorrow. They will exploit the untapped and unlimited sources of a New World. Approximately three-quarters of the earth's surface is covered by water, whilst we cannot hope to exploit it all yet, we can commence by exploring the sea beds around our coasts. And in accordance with a longstanding tradition we should take a ruling hand under the Waves.
The British Sub-Aqua Club which I founded nearly three years ago has today several thousand members with branches up and down the country, and if you follow Dr. Hass's programmes I am convinced that many of you will wish to see with your own eyes the glories of the Underseaworld as they will be presented to you in the next six weeks.
Don't forget to look in next Friday at 9 p.m."