THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



ant Maury, whose sailing directions both 

 vessels followed." 



What Maury did in saving life by in- 

 creasing the safety of ocean voyages may 

 not be estimated. Hunt's Merchants' 

 Magazine of 1854 calculated that he had 

 shortened the time for voyages to South 

 America and the East Indies by 15 days, 

 and this had effected a saving of $2,250,- 

 000 annually in freight charges for the 

 outward voyages alone. 



In a report submitted in January, 1855, 

 the Committee on Naval Affairs stated 

 the immediate result of Mr. Maury's 

 labors to be that "ocean voyages under 

 sail are shortened from 10 to 20 per cent. 

 Before the publication of these charts a 

 voyage from our eastern ports to San 

 Francisco, under canvas, occupied on 

 an average 180 days, and in several in- 

 stances it has been performed in half the 

 time formerly occupied." 



The Secretary of the Navy, Hon. James 

 C. Dobbin, wrote that "it is my decided 

 conviction that this officer, by his ability 

 and enthusiasm in the cause in which he 

 has been engaged, has not only added to 

 the honor of his country, but saved mil- 

 lions of dollars for his countrymen." 



President Fillmore, in a message to 

 Congres's (1851), said that Lieutenant 

 Maury had shortened the passage from 

 Atlantic to Pacific ports about forty days. 



WHY MEN SAY REPUBLICS ARE 

 UNGRATEFUL 



After an illuminating statement of the 

 value of the labors of Lieutenant Maury, 

 the House Naval Affairs Committee rec- 

 ommended that $25,000 be appropriated, 

 "insignificant indeed in comparison with 

 his services," as the nation's appreciation 

 of the contributions made to the world 

 by this officer. The bill was introduced, 

 and its fate gave fresh evidence to those 

 who believe in the ingratitude of repub- 

 lics. Not only was no money reward 

 voted to him, but in the following month 

 the Naval Retiring Board placed Maury 

 on the retired list, thereby reducing his 

 salary to $1,500! 



Maury, like Wilkes and Perry, sought 

 no advantage for himself or his country 

 which other nations might not also enjoy. 

 He secured such cooperation that reports 

 coming from all sources filled more than 



400 large manuscript volumes. He had 

 no conception of safeguarding American 

 ships alone. His vision and his services 

 looked to craft that sailed every sea. 



He never secured a copyright to any 

 chart, never patented any idea; but all 

 that he learned and all that he discovered 

 his free government gave freely to the 

 whole world. It is because of his un- 

 selfish contributions that he is everywhere 

 numbered with the great men who "en- 

 lightened the darkness of the world" and 

 live forever with immortals. 



He did more than obtain the hearty co- 

 operation which made safe the paths of 

 the sea. He was a "living light-foun- 

 tain," in that his spirit of faith and devo- 

 tion caused sailors to see the Creator 

 whom he worshipped. 



A SEA DOG'S TRIBUTE TO A COMRADE 



Captain Phinny, of the American ship 

 Gertrude, gave expression to the new 

 and higher vision that cooperation with 

 Maury brought to him and other sea 

 captains. Writing from Chincha Islands 

 to Maury in January, 1855, Captain 

 Phinny said : 



"I am glad to contribute my mite to- 

 ward furnishing you with material, not 

 only of pointing out the most speedy 

 routes for ships to follow over the ocean, 

 but also teaching us sailors to look about 

 us and recognize the wonderful mani- 

 festations of the wisdom and goodness 

 of God by which we are constantly sur- 

 rounded. For myself I am free to con- 

 fess that for many years I commanded a 

 ship, and although never insensible of the 

 beauties of nature upon sea and land, I 

 yet feel that until I took up your work I 

 had been traversing the ocean blindfolded ; 

 I did not think, I did not know, the amaz- 

 ing combinations of all the works of Him 

 whom you so beautifully term 'The Great 

 First Thought.' You have taught me to 

 look above, around, and beneath me, and 

 to recognize 'God's hand in every element 

 by which I am surrounded.' " 



Maury's whole life and service taught 

 that greatest of all lessons not only to 

 sailors, but to all mankind. And that 

 was his greatest contribution, because the 

 man is always greater than his achieve- 

 ments, and faith must ever be the in- 

 spiration to noblest endeavor. 



