The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-17
To The Editor IF the Union :


requesting, and sufficient for you in granting tho
use of your columns for my reply to the gentlemen
cerned.
NJ +. MAURY, Ii. u S. N.
NATIONAL OBSERVATORY,
Washington, January Is, 1S49.
To the ouaers and masters of the Netc Bedford and NsU
London whale SHIPS:
l received the letters which the gentlemen of New
Bedford and New London-al all "owners or masters of
vessels employed in the whale sheries-have addressed
to me in relation to the ''wnd and current charts"
am grated at the hearty interest, gentlemen, which
you take this work, and more than pleased by
generous offer to cooperate with ships and men in con-
ductng under my direction not only observations in all
parts of the ocean with regard to winds and currents.
and in the investigation OF other phenomena bearing upon
navigation, but in collecting also such Information as
may desire with regard to the habits of the whale
evidence we are daly receiving that our abos here for
the benefit of navgaors have at last told and that the
object of them is understood and properly appreca
ted by those for whose benefit they are especially intend
have felt all along that this later would be
the for that had not mistaken the char
acter OF American merchants ship owners, and naviga-
tors. have met with them In all parts OF the world;
and wherever have been have found that the American
captain, above the shpmasers OF all other countries,
is known for his enterprise and intelligence. Never
Columbus crossed the Atlantic has the commercial
marine of any nation been condusted by such men.
America exces the world not more in her merchant ships
than in her merchant captains and therefore expected
more from them than from all the world besides. %
For years have been soliciting the cooperation OF
seatang people in procuring materials for this underta
king, and for years solicited in vain. But knew it
was because the object had in view was not presented
the @ S ssn sS9I ss ssols
would help me with will. Accordingly made begin
ming. | consulted such old log-books OF men-of-
war as could lay hands on, put down the results
chart and, incomplete as that chart s published TO
the world.
Immediately the scales Were turned it was seen then
that it really practicable to make the experience OF
all navgaors available to each one, and the thing was
understood at Old captains unlocked their sea-
chests took out their musty sea journals, and placed
them my disposal. Owners and merchants came for
ward with offers of assistance; and now, instead OF my
having to solicit cooperation from them they are solicit
ing from me the privilege OF cooperating with
This is as il should be. 1t has not been year since
the first sheets OF this chart were published, and est.
mate that not less than Thousand American ships and
navgaors have been supplied with them, and are now
engaged in all parts of the making observations
and collecting materials for the completion of the work.
The history OF the world does not afford an example
of such another corps OF Observers without pay or the
promise of reward fleet of ships far exceeding in num-
Der that which any navy in the world can put to sea,
have been enlisted for this work. and are actually en-
gagged in conducting the most extensive system OF phys
cal researches that has ever engaged the attention OF PHI
losophers Soomon's exchequer would not be sufficient
support the multudes OF ships and men that before
the end of another year. will probably be engaged in this
work and yet the iabores in this field expect no other
reward than that which good and wise men find in the
mere act OF helping TO do good
We have been reproached ny other nations as being
backward in the pursuit of science and deficient in our
clang this charge obe wholly unfounded, admitting
it to be entirely just the shipping merchants and seamen
Of America can never hereafter be implicated in it. TO
my mind, the age in which we live, fruitful as It s does
not present sublime moral speCtacl than that
which is here exhibited. These CHARTS because they
promise to be useful TO navigation, have called out
fleet of ships manned by thousands of American seamen
all acting hamonlousy together in the investigation OF
of the most important and apparently complex phe-
of nature BY means OF these charts alone, the
mariner has been induced to conduct in every sea, and
according prescribed rules, series OF observations
which aim at perfect development of the laws of
nature the advancement of science the benefit OF COM
merce, and the Improvement of navigation.
Several thousand ships engaged hourly, day and night,
upon the wide ocean, in recording observations IN me-
teoroogy and the phenomena OF the great Deep to be
sent here for comparison and discussion! What may not
be the value of the results? People may talk OF mer-
chant put here i something SO net, more than Pncey
conducted in manner that
rich with praise is the and bottom Of the sea-
The materials thus sought and collected are those
which constitute the experience of the navigator with re-
gard to the Winds the currents and all that relates to
the safe and speedy navigation OF the ocean.
Received here, they placed in the hands OF assist
ants an able corps OF navy officers VINO nave iepw
with the sailor and therefore fully appreciate the import
ance and value OF the results.
The log of each ship carefully examined and COM
pared with all the rests the winds, the currents, the tenn
peraure OF water, and all the phenomena observed, are
spread out chart in such manner as to show at
glance the result of the whole combined. .
AS it may be supposed many important discoveries,
many beautiful illustrations of natural laws and many
interesting facts and principles with regard to the nav
CATION of the seas, are elected the work progresses
NAV be excused for alluding to some OF them:
l. By examining and comparing together many thou-
sand sea Journals and better route has been dis
covered by which the passage from the ports OF the
United States the equator-the common highway OF
all vessels bound to China and the East lndes TO me
ports of South America and the islands OF the Paclhc
ocean-is shortened a week or ten days
In the midst of the north Atlantic, regular mon
aeon has been discovered and its limits already de-
fined with more precision than those OF the Gulf stream
have been.
band in the north Atlantic with surprising regularity of
breadth Were this band Opaque were it visible to
astronomer in the moon would appear to him not un-
like the belts of Jupiter do 10 us; but upon scale
greatly enlarged Could be by observer in the
moon he could mark by it regular do the
materials already furnished show its vibrations up and
down in latitude to be according to our months and sea-
sons.
This band of ~ E. trades is not has been supposed.
The manner in which these conclusions arrived at
admits of doubt to these facts, than there IS
as to the existence of the trade winds themselves
When these thousand ships return with their observa-
tons, made simultaneously in all parts of the world who
can anticipate the value the Of the results 10 De
obtained When it is blowing norther IN the gun, or
a tornado the West Indies for instance these ooseiva
tons will enable to what was dong on the oher
side across the islhmus of Tehuantepec.
am beginning TO receive returns from this 1eet Our
system of observations requires the water thermometer TO
be used and in consequence IS now beginning lot !ne
first time to be generally used IN the merchant service
From the returns already received tns instrument indI-
Gates fork in the Gulf Stream on the banks OF New
foundand 1t also indicates the existence OF cold cur