John Murray (oceanographer)

".–During the voyage of the and subsequently, Mr Darwin made a profound study of s, and has given a theory of their mode of formation which has since been universally accepted by scientific men. Darwin's theory may be said to rest on two facts—the one physiological, and the other physical—the former, that those species of corals whose skeletons chiefly make up reefs cannot live in depths greater than from 20 to 30 fathoms; the latter, that the surface of the earth is continually undergoing or ."

"When we cast a retrospective glance at the history of , we find that nearly all the great advances in geography took place among commercial—and in a very special manner among maritime—peoples. Whenever primitive races commenced to look upon the ocean, not as a terrible barrier separating lands, but rather as a means of communication between distant countries, they soon acquired increased wealth and power, and beheld the dawn of new ideas and great . Down even to our own day the power and progress of nations may, in a sense, be measured by the extent to which their seamen have been able to brave the many perils, and their learned men have been able to unravel the many riddles, of the great ocean. The history of civilisation runs parallel with the history of navigation in all its wider aspects."

"The was organised by the during the years 1871 and 1872 at the suggestion of the . The ship was fitted out under the direction of , at that time , and she sailed from in December 1872. The special object of the Expedition was the scientific exploration of the physical, chemical, geological, and biological conditions of the great s. In addition to a full complement of specially selected Naval Officers, the Expedition comprised a scientific staff of six civilians, under the direction of . After circumnavigating the globe, and carrying on deep-sea and other investigations in many regions of the ocean, the Challenger returned to England in May 1876, and the crew was paid off after the ship had been in commission for over three years and seven months."

"Murray's great opportunity came in 1872 when he was appointed to the staff of the , that famous expedition, organised in , which will probably be for all time recognised as the most important in the history of oceanic exploration. Murray played a large part in the preliminary organising and fitting out as well as in the conduct of the expedition. During the four years of the actual voyage he specialised particularly in the collection and study of pelagic organisms and deep-sea deposits, but his greatest work in this connection and the great work of his life was after the return of the expedition. Owing to the failing health of the main share in organising the working out of the enormous collections fell very soon to Murray, and after Thomson's death in 1882 he became in name, as he already was in fact, responsible for this side of the work. For nineteen years Murray managed the most remarkable team of scientific workers which was probably ever brought into collaboration. , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Huxley, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , : all these, in addition to other and younger workers, contributed, and contributed of their best, to these wonderful fifty volumes which form not merely the foundation but a great part of the whole edifice of modern ."