50 MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY 



doubt but that Maury was greatly handicapped by the 

 assignment of officers to the Observatory for irregular 

 periods, and by the reduction of the number of his 

 mathematicians as time went by. There was, besides, 

 the hydrographical work of his office which made con- 

 stantly increasing demands on him and his staff. When 

 he was forced by this lack in personnel to make a choice 

 between the more complete development of astronomical 

 observations on the one hand, and hydrographical and 

 meteorological research on the other, he wisely chose the 

 latter as of more immediate and practical value to the 

 United States, and indeed to the entire world. 



