COMMITTEES ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT 22 1 



the British Meteorological Office was established, Maury's log- 

 books were adopted. In recognition of his services to navigation 

 and meteorology, Maury received many medals and decorations 

 from European societies and Governments. 



Regarding the value of Maury's work Sir John Murray and 

 Dr. Johan Hjort recently remarked as follows: 



" Maurj''s work had important consequences, for ship-masters following his 

 directions shortened the voyage between North America and England by ten days, 

 that from New York to California by about forty-five days, and that from Eng- 

 land to Australia and back by more than si.\ty days. The profit derived from the 

 use of Maury's charts by British ship-owners on the East India route alone 

 amounted to lO million dollars yearly. 



" On Maury's suggestion it was decided, at an international congress at 

 Brussels in 1853, that numbers of log-books should be sent out with captains of 

 ships for the purpose of entering observations of wind and weather, of currents, 

 and of temperatures at the sea-surface. This plan has been followed ever since, 

 the notes being as a rule entered once every watch, so that a formidable pile of 

 material has now been amassed. Up to 1904 the Meteorological Office in 

 London had collected 7 millions of these notes, the Deutsche Seewarte in Ham- 

 burg more than io| millions, the Dutch Meteorological Institute in DeBilt 3I 

 millions, the Hydrographical Bureau at Washington 5^ millions, and so on." ^^ 



Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Maury resigned his office 

 under the United States Government and threw in his fortunes 

 with his native State. Being unfit for active service, he went to 

 England to reside and later became commissioner of immigra- 

 tion for Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. On returning to 

 England in 1866 he was given a banquet in honor of his services 

 as a hydrographer, which was attended by many eminent naval 

 officers and scientific men of England and other parts of Europe. 

 On this occasion he was presented with a purse of 3000 guineas, 

 collected by popular subscription. His last years were spent 

 as Professor of Physics at the University of Virginia. 



When Maury left the Naval Observatory on April 15, 1861, 

 his meteorological data, records and papers fell into the hands of 

 James Melville Gilliss, who two days later was appointed to 

 succeed him as the head of the Naval Observatory. 



^ Depths of the Ocean, by Sir John Murray and Dr. Johan Hjort, London, 1912, 

 pp. 214, 215. 



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