Lieut. Maury's Plan for Improving Navigation. 157 



departments of the science of meteorology and hydrography 

 which have not received very valuable additions ; whilst the 

 more accurate determination of the parts of the Pacific Ocean 

 where the sperm-whale is found (which are very limited in 

 extent), as well as the limits of the range of those of other 

 species, has contributed very materially to the success of the 

 American whale fishery, one of the most extensive and pro- 

 ductive of all their fields of enterprise and industry." 



Lieutenant Maury is enthusiastic in the cause. He sees the 

 benefits that must arise from the extension of this system of 

 observation, and he invites the co-operation of all maritime 

 nations ; but to which does he look with the most longing 

 eyes and the best hopes of success % Of course to the nation 

 of whom the poet sings — 



" Their path is on the mountain wave, 

 Their home is on the deep ;" — 



To his brethren at this side of the Atlantic. What do the 

 Royal Society say on this point ? 



" But it is to the government of this country that the de- 

 mand for co-operation, and for the interchange of observa- 

 tions, is most earnestly addressed by the government of the 

 United States ; and the President and Council of the Royal 

 Society express their hope that it will not be addressed in 

 vain. We possess in our ships of war, in our packet service, 

 and in our vast commercial navy, better means of making 

 such observations, and a greater interest in the results to 

 which they lead, than any other nation. For this purpose, 

 every ship which is under the control of the Admiralty should 

 be furnished with instruments properly constructed and com- 

 pared, and with proper instructions for using them : similar 

 instructions for making and recording observations, as far as 

 their means will allow, should be sent to every ship that 

 sails, with a request that the results of them be transmitted 

 to the Hydrographer's Office of the Admiralty, where an 

 adequate staff of officers or others should be provided for 

 their prompt examination, and the publication of the im- 

 proved charts and sailing directions to which they would 

 lead. Above all, it seems desirable to establish a prompt 

 communication with the Hydrographer's Office of the United 



