220 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



which caused him to be permanently lame. He became in- 

 terested during his cruise with the Vincennes and on subsequent 

 voyages in studying the winds and other phenomena of the ocean. 

 Rendered incapacitated for active service by the accident which 

 he encountered, he was placed in charge of the Depot of Charts 

 and Instruments, in the Navy Department. Out of this office 

 a little later grew the Hydrographic Office and the United 

 States Naval Observatory. Maury became the head of both 

 these establishments. After it had become impossible for him 

 to make meteorological observations himself he inaugurated a 

 system of distributing specially prepared log-books to captains 

 of vessels in which they might keep a daily record of winds and 

 other phenomena of different parts of the ocean. 



The data thus obtained were intended to lighten the labors of 

 navigators, and it was expected that by the study of them sailing 

 captains would be enabled to determine upon the best course 

 in different latitudes and would be informed regarding the 

 character of the storms and winds which they might encounter. 

 The data were published by the Government in a series of charts 

 and books which are described as follows in the report of the 

 committee : 



" The publications submitted to the committee consist of seventy-six charts of 

 large dimensions, measuring generally twenty-four inches by thirty-five or 

 six within the borders, and classified into six distinct series, distinguished by the 

 letters A to F. These classes are entitled severally, ' Track Charts,' ' Trade 

 Wind Charts,' ' Pilot Charts,' ' Thermal Charts,' ' Storm and Rain Charts,' 

 and ' Whale Charts.' Besides these there are two thick quarto volumes of 

 letter press, embracing pp. xxxxi, 383, and viii, 874, respectively. The first of 

 these volumes is illustrated by sixty-three engraved plates, some of them colored, 

 and the second by six. Supplementary to these are three thin tracts, also in 

 quarto, entitled, ' Nautical Monographs,' and embracing in all pp. 48 and five 

 plates." 20 



In addition, Maury, as is well known, published a treatise 

 entitled " The Physical Geography of the Sea," and several other 

 works. The publication of the meteorological data led to the 

 organization of an international congress in 1853, and later, when 



20 Rep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for 1863, p. 98. 



