Christopher Columbus was the best deal maker in history. He left not knowing where he was going, and upon arriving, not knowing where he was. He returned not knowing where he had been, and did it all on borrowed money.
Matthew Fontaine MauryBorn 14 Jan 1806; died 1 Feb 1873 at age 67. American naval officer, oceanographer and hydrographer who was a pioneer, hydrographer. He was the first person to undertake a systematic and comprehensive study of the ocean. His work on oceanography and navigation led to an international conference (Brussels, 1853) the first ever of its kind in the world. In 1855, during the Western gold rush, Maury's updated information helped sea captains cut a ship's average travel time from New York to San Francisco from 180 to 133 days. That same year, Maury prepared a report that proved the practicality - and assured the success - of the first trans-Atlantic cable between the United States and Europe. Maury was director of the U.S. Naval Observatory from 1844 to 1861. |
