Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-02-11
Death Of Commodore M. E. Maury.

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Darlington, Virginia. on Saturday, the 3lst
Of January, in the 9Th year of his age. at
the time of his death he was professor of
physics in the virgiuia Military Institute
]. is not e1travagant to say, says the Baltimore
Sun, that in the death of Commodore Maury
science has lost one of its most mature and
creative minds. Devoted to the investigation
of physical science from early manhood, he
has given to it the assiduous labor of a strong
intellect, and he has added, perhaps, more to
the progress of its development than any of
his contemporaries. AS an astronomer and
photographer, his works are of the best au-
thority.
Commodore Maury was born in Spottsyl.
vania county, Virginia, January IA, 1906
His parents removed while he was young to
Tennessee. In 1925 he entered the naval
service as midshipman, and was assigned to
the Brandywine, then fitting out to convey
Gen. Lafayette to France. He was after
wards transferred to the sloop of war Vincen.
mes, and made the tour around the Globe
During this cruise, and while midshipman,
he began his treatise on navigation, which
passed through several editions and was used
as a text book in tho navy. He was again
sent to the Pacific as master of the Falmouth
and Oh his return was transferred as acting
lieutenant to the Potomac. In 1896 he was
promoted to a lieutenancy. In 1889 he mot
with an accident which resulted in permanent
lameness and unified him for active service.
He was then placed in charge of the hydro-
graphical Office at Washington, and upon the
combination with it of the national fnow uavaD
observatory, he was made superinte ndept of it,
Before this time, however. Commodore Maury
had been engaged in collecting material for
his great work, 1.-The Physical Geography of
the Sea" which was translated into most of
the languages of Europe, and obtained tor
him honors and decorations from all nations
1t threw flood of light upon winds. currents
&c, and has served as tho most reliable ocean
chart, Besides these practical results, the
new theory inaugurated by Commodore siaury
of the crossing of the trade>winds at the cona-
tor, whereby the excess of evaporation in the
southern hemisphere is made to supply the
greater requirements of precipitation on the
dry land Of the northern, is fully developed.
Among the practical advantages of these in
vestigations is the shortening of the passage
from the Atlantic to the Pacific ports hy forty
days, and the voyage from Europe to America
In proportion also the discovery of the tele-
graphic ocean plateau. In 1855 he was pro-
NOTED to the rank of commander He was a
member of many of the principal scientific
associations in Europe and America He was
also the author Of a 'Scheme for Rebuilding
Southern Commerce" Letters on the ANA
ION and the Atlantic States of South Amer,
lea. "Relation between Magnetism and the
Circulation of the Atmosphere" "Astropom
ical Observations" Letters Concerning Laws
tor the Steamers Crossing the Atlantic" &c.
Commodore Maury remained in charge of
the National Observatory at Washington until
the commencement of the late civil war, when.
in common with so many other Virginans. he
resigned his position to cast his lot with his
native State, and was made one of the execu>
tive council Of the Confederate States.
This action of his, 10 connection with GER
tain rivalries and jealousies developed year
or two previous, furnished occasion in the
North tor severe criticism, and he was even
charged with being charatan thus shown.
the unreasonableness fprejudiced and partisan
feeling. AS soon as it was known that he had
resigned his place in the service of the United
States he was solicited to become the guest
ct Russia, where every provision was made
for his comfort and to enable him to contirs,e
his researches. This invitation. as we'll as a
modore Many spent most of his time from
1862 to 1868 in Europe. While in Europe
he prepared, by permission, for the SOP of The
Grand Duke Constantine and his cousin
Alexis, an elementary work on physical geog~
raphy, which. by imperial orders, was trans
lated for the schools of Russia 1t was during
the latter year of his stay in Europe that he
devoted himself t, the preparation of his geo.
graphical textbooks, which have been pubs
lshed by the University Publishing Company
OF New York and Baltimore He has also
devoted himself to the restoration and devel>
opment of the South, encouraging emigration
and inviting the population to its vast phys
zeal advantages by meaps of essays aud lee
lures upon its climate and soil, but more par
ticularly was the labor of his declining years
conseniai to his tastes in the instruction of the
youth of his native State in the science he
loved.