"This same man, by his system of research upon the ocean, by shortening the days of transit by means of his charts of the waves and of the winds, saved to the commerce of the world from $40,000,000 to $60,000,000 annually, and he sought earnestly, by stirring up the people, by writing and lecturing in the North and West and South up to the Fall of 1860, and again after the war to within three months of his death, to put the same system into existence within the landed domain of the United States."[1]
Early in 1858 Lt. Maury had produced such an impression by his lectures and writings in the North-West, that no less than eight of the lake cities, Buffalo amongst them, memorialized Congress in the same year to "establish a general system of daily telegraphic reports on the wind and weather, for discussion at a central office"! . . .
The law thus prayed for was not passed by Congress at that time; but it has been since, and under its fostering care has grown into the "vast weather bureau" of the present day. It will scarcely be believed, that in the history of that grand work the name of its illustrious founder is not mentioned, thus fulfilling his prophetic fear. And today, although almost every one in the civilized world listens to "the thunder," no one remembers where to "look for the lightning."
- ↑ Telegraphic Meteorology—In this connection see letter to editor of Southern Planter, April 20, 1855; American Farmer, June 18, 1855; editor Prof. Quetelet, Brussels, July 24, 1855; Edward T. Taylor, Oct. 18, 1855; Virginia State Agricultural Society, Dec. 1, 1855; editor of N.Y. Tribune, December 19, 1855; Hon. James Harlan, Jan. 5th and 6th 1857, in reference to Bill and report introduced by him in Senate; Dr. Leiber, Jan. 24, 1857; Hon. C. J. Falkner, July 23, 1857. And in reference to daily weather reports by telegraph "on land," letters to H. S. Eaton, Dec. 6, 1859; to Gov. Dennison, Ohio, June 4, 1860; to Prof. Secchi, Rome, April 10, 1860; and to Lieut. Margollé, London, April 12, 1860. All were on file in Lieut. Matthew Fontaine Maury's letter books at the National Observatory at Washington.
