The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-20

lions, which was adopted - 4 text
book ia the navy. He was now select
ID ~ astronomer. and offered the ap.
continent Of photographer in the en-
plofing expedition TO the South seas.
under tho command Of Lieutenant
w1lks. but he declined these posi-
tons. In 1887 he was promoted TO
| the Grade Of lieutenant and not long
aftsrw6rds when returned from q
visit TO his parents in Tennessee he
met with painful accident. He was
riding In . stage coach and was seat
ed beside the driver on the top OF the
coach. and In some way the vehicle
was thrown to one side and he lost
his balance and was thrown to the
! ground breaking his limb. which
famed him for life.
For several years. unable to per-
form the active duties Of his profess
sion, he devoted hts time to mental
culture. to the improvement Of the
navy, and to other matters of ma
tionai concern. His views. forcibfy
stated, were published first and mainly
in the Southern Literary Messenger"
over the nom de plum" Of Harry
Blum. and under the general cap
tion OF Scraps from the Lucky Bag"
To the influence Of these essays has
been Justly ascrfbed the great re-
forms then made In the navy, as well
as the establishment Of a. naval
academy. He also advocated the es-
adjustment of a navy yard at Mem
phis. Tennessee. which was done ely
congress Under his directions were
made, at that point, by Lieutenant
MARI, the first series Of observations
upon the flow of the Mississippi.
He proposed system of obscrva-
lions which would enable the OBJ
servers TO give Information, by tele-
graph, concerning the state of the
river and Its tributaries. He adyocat-
ed the enlargement of the Illinois and
Michigan canal, that vessels of war
might pass between the gulf and lakes
He suggested TO congress efficacfous
plans for the disposition OF the
drowned government lands along the
Mississippi In the interest of COM
mercs. he brought forward and sue
cessfully advocated the ..ware-housing
system"
In 1912 he was appointed superin-
tendent of the depot or charts and in
struments at Washington. Up to this
time the field In which Maury Iabored
was limited to his own country.
Placed in a position which offered
the means necessary to full employ
AAStAS VI HE PpN rIs hS spSc0ity uG-
veloped the plans which he had
previously cherished and earnestly ad-
vocated. The simple depot for charts
and instruments was transformed into
an observatory. Surrounded by such
men as Walker, Ferguson, Hubbard.
Cofhn, Keith and other faithful work
ers. whom he inspired with his own
enthusiasm. he made the naval OBJ
servatory national in its Importance
and relations to the astronomical
world. This accomplished, he added
to those labors of the astronomers.
fruitful OF results for future years, the
task OF unrayeiing the winds and cur
rents Of the ocean, and collected from
the logbooks of ships of war. long
stored In the government Offices, and
from all other accessible sources. the
material suited to his purp use. BY
numerous assistants, 1t was tabulated.
and by him discussed. thus yielding
for guidance OF mariner on a single
route. the combined experience of
thousands. Yet Maury's first chart to
navigators. his Fair Way to Rio" was
at first doubted and declined as being
opposite TO all previous tending but
its accuracy being triumphantiy dem
onstrated by Captain Jackson, COM
manding the ". RI. D. C. Wright. of
Baltimore. the maratine world hast
ened 10 acknowledge the beneffcence
conferred. and to contribute aid TO the
speedy and complete application of
Maury's system TO all seas.
Maury also Instituted the system of
deep-sea sounding. rendering easy OF
accomplishment all operations of that
character since undertaken. and lead
ing directly to the esta blishment of
teiegraphic communication between
the continents by cable. on the bed OF
the ocean. In these labors he was
effectively assisted by Colonel John III.
Brooke. then on duty in the naval OBJ
servatory. and whose deep sea sound
ing apparatus FIRST brought up speei-
mems. whilst IL fathomed the depths
OF the ocean.
The investigations. of which they
were the fsrst fruits, presented ma
terials for work to make clear to
landemen as well ass mariners the
wonderful mechanism of the sea, with
its currents and its atmosphere. The
Physical Geography of the Sea-
which has been translated into many
languages. is an enduring monument
to the genius and usefuiess Of its
author. BY Humboldt. Maury was de-
clared TO be the founder Of new and
important science. The principal
powers OF Europe recognized the
value of-his- services TO mankind.
France, Austria. Russia. Prussia, Dem
mark. Belgium. Portugal. Sweden.
iardinia, Holland. Bremen and the
PApal States bestowed orders OF
knighthood and other honors. The
academies Of science OF Paris. Berlin,
Brussels. 81. Petersburg and Mexico
conferred the honor OF membership.
When Virginia. seeding from the
Union. called upon her sons, he
promptly resigned from the Federal
navy to take part In the defense of
his native State. declining, from a
sense OF duty, highly honorable posi-
ton. which he was invited to I'LL In
Russia and France,
Matthew Maury owned not q foot of
ground in Virginia, nor one slave,
neither did his family. and thus 1t
will be seen that the step he took
In brayely coming to the front when
the bugie sounded was not for slavery.
He was selected a. one OF the coun-
Gil Of three appointed by the COVER
nor of Virginia in this important
crisis, serving until its army and navy
were incorporated with those Of the
Coufederacy. when he was sent abroad
by the Southern government, invested
with suitable powers of provision for
its material naval wants. This trust
he duly filled until the war closed.
Then, in anticipation OF large emf
grafton from the Southern States to
Mexico, with the view OF aiding his
there, he went thither.
HA vas cordfalIy received by May