THE FIRST MAJOR TEXTBOOK OF MODERN OCEANOGRAPHY

MAURY, MATTHEW FONTAINE.

The Physical Geography of the Sea.

New York, Harper & Brothers, 1855. Royal8vo. Original cloth, gilt spine lettering and vignette on front cover. Rubbing and chipping to extremeties. Corners a little bumped. Some foxing throughout. XXIV,[25]-274 pp. and 8 folding engraved plates. 4 plates in the text.

First edition of "the first major textbook of modern oceanography" - Horblit/Grolier 71. "Mathew Fontaine Maury, an American naval officer and hydrographer, laid the foundations of oceanography in 'The physical geography of the sea' (1855) which includes a general discussion about coastlines, tides currents, and other phases of the ocean and its life. In addition, Maury, with the help of three lines measured for the laying of the transatlantic cables, sketched the first section and the first map of the floor of the Atlantic Ocean." - Sparrow: Milestones of Science 143. Honeyman 2184.

Order-nr.: 30930