1 - Meteorology All at Sea

Summary

Chapter 1 considers relations between science and the maritime world by examining the British Admiralty’s participation in meteorological projects in the nineteenth century, focusing on the period between the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars and the Conference on Maritime Meteorology in 1874. It examines the roles played by individuals and institutions, guidebooks and regulations, in promoting a culture of instrumental meteorology onboard voyages of exploration, and on Royal Naval and Hydrographic Office survey ships. The work of Admiralty Hydrographer Francis Beaufort and Army engineer William Reid are discussed. Particular attention is paid to attempts to establish national and international standards for the study of meteorology at sea. The chapter discusses the consent given by the British Admiralty to allow its ships to be turned into floating meteorological observatories.