190 MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY 



wrote Maury, enclosing the meteorological diary which 

 had been kept on board the Elizabeth on a voyage to 

 South America. These marks of the Archduke's favor, 

 together with Maury's more recent correspondence con- 

 cerning the possible cooperation of the Southern Con- 

 federacy and the new Empire of Mexico, fully warranted 

 Maury's confidence in believing that he might not do 

 better at this crisis in his affairs than to go to Mexico and 

 serve under Maximilian. 



By the first of May, 1865, Maury had reached Vera 

 Cruz. From here he went to Mexico City and wrote 

 to General de la Peza, Minister of War, offering to dem- 

 onstrate his electric torpedoes to him confidentially. 

 Soon thereafter he offered his services to Maximilian, and 

 was warmly welcomed by the Emperor and the Empress 

 Carlotta. He at once laid before them his immigration 

 scheme, which was very favorably received. By the first 

 of August, the Emperor had decided to try the plan, and 

 appointed Maury to the office of Imperial Commissioner 

 of Colonization, with a salary of $5000 a year. In 

 addition to this, he was made on September 23 the 

 Director of the Astronomical Observatory. 



None of Maury's family was pleased with his going to 

 Mexico, because of the uncertainty of MaximiHan's 

 throne, and would have preferred him to return to 

 England or even to go to Russia or Brazil. His friends 

 were of the same opinion. **The people of Virginia", 

 wrote Captain Jansen, "have shown themselves to be as 

 brave as any people ever have been; but courage is 

 coupled, in patriotism, with perseverance in suffering 

 until better times come for Virginia. All who love her 

 for what she has done ought to love her enough to suffer 

 with her and for her sake. If the best people who have 



