(1) William Broad, China Explores a Frontier 2 Miles Deep. New York Times, Sept. 12, 2010.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/science/12deepsea.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
("Though Alvin can go down only 4,500 meters, or 2.8 miles, it has made thousands of dives and discoveries, and is widely seen among experts as highly productive and well run.")
My comment:
(a) Weicheng CUI/ China Ship Scientific Research Center 崔 维成/ 中国船舶重工集团公司第702研究所
http://www.cssrc.com.cn/
* William Dicke, Allyn Vine, 79, Dies; Proponent of Submersibles. New York Times, Jan. 8,1994.
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/08/obituaries/allyn-vine-79-dies-proponent-of-submersibles.html
("Because of Mr. Vine's tenacity in pursuing the construction of submersibles, the first American manned research submersible for deep diving was named Alvin, a contraction of his name. When the vessel was christened in June 1964, Mr. Vine was unable to be present because he was three miles below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean aboard the French submersible Archimede.")
What? No PhD?
* Alvin is male given name in England, composed of (ælf elf + wine friend).
(c) China's Jialong dived 3,759 meters. DSV Alvin--not to mention French--has been there almost half a century ago. I see no reason for China to brag, or for Westerners to fear China catching up.