Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), "Pathfinder of the Seas": ein Seemann als Wissenschaftler und Wissenschaftsorganisator

Abstract

During his career as a seaman, the American naval officer Matthew Fontaine Maury became aware of the incompleteness of the available meteorological and oceanographic data and the fragmentary knowledge of naval meteorology and oceanography. He unerringly endeavoured to remedy these deficits. He worked toward the improvement of the theoretical training of seamen and carried out the systematic collection and analysis of data on the state of the atmosphere and the oceans. The seamen themselves registered the data, which Maury then evaluated in the naval observatory and used as the basis for producing charts on various subjects. In the period in which intercontinental shipping by sail was reaching its heyday, Maury supplied it with its global oceanographic and meteorological foundations. Thanks to his efforts, the speed and safety of maritime traffic were improved, i.e. his work was of economic significance. His activities culminated in the Brussels Conference of 1853, from which various international organizations emerged. Maury’s work and viewpoints were very highly appreciated especially in Germany. His chief work, The Physical Geography of the Sea, was widely consulted. Published again and again in new and improved editions, this in-depth work was to an extent controversial among experts in the field. In any case, it had a substantial influence on the development of meteorology and oceanography.