Historical Documents

The Readings for Ocean Explorers Collection is a digital library of complete documents and excerpts from letters, autobiographies, federal government reports, science articles, and reminiscences illustrating the history, science, and extraordinary personal stories of those involved in the exploration of the oceans. Source material for this section has been drawn from the collections of the NOAA Central Library in Silver Spring, Maryland. The NOAA Central Library collections include the original libraries of the U.S. Weather Bureau, the Bureau of Fisheries, and the U.S.Coast and Geodetic Survey. Each entry in the Collection consists of the library introduction, explaining the background and significance of the reading; the complete citation of the reading; notes on transcription, explaining how the reading was prepared for viewing on the Web; related resources; and copyright permissions when applicable.

1785: Observations on the Gulf Stream by Benjamin Franklin

Humankind holds a fascination with the ocean beneath its surface. People began their study of the sea by peering into the waters from vessels or by walking along the seashore. They progressed to free diving, then helmet diving, and finally to the use of SCUBA, and ultimately to undersea vehicles, all to catch a glimpse of life under the sea.

1852: Vicissitudes of Ocean Exploration

Humankind holds a fascination with the ocean beneath its surface. People began their study of the sea by peering into the waters from vessels or by walking along the seashore. They progressed to free diving, then helmet diving, and finally to the use of SCUBA, and ultimately to undersea vehicles, all to catch a glimpse of life under the sea.

1899: The State of Ocean Science in 1899: An Essay by Sir John Murray

Humankind holds a fascination with the ocean beneath its surface. People began their study of the sea by peering into the waters from vessels or by walking along the seashore. They progressed to free diving, then helmet diving, and finally to the use of SCUBA, and ultimately to undersea vehicles, all to catch a glimpse of life under the sea.

1914: Submarine Signaling

Humankind holds a fascination with the ocean beneath its surface. People began their study of the sea by peering into the waters from vessels or by walking along the seashore. They progressed to free diving, then helmet diving, and finally to the use of SCUBA, and ultimately to undersea vehicles, all to catch a glimpse of life under the sea

1932: Radio Talk on Echo Sounding by Dr. Herbert Grove Dorsey

Humankind holds a fascination with the ocean beneath its surface. People began their study of the sea by peering into the waters from vessels or by walking along the seashore. They progressed to free diving, then helmet diving, and finally to the use of SCUBA, and ultimately to undersea vehicles, all to catch a glimpse of life under the sea.

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We gratefully acknowledge this contribution by Captain Albert Theberge, NOAA Corps (ret.), of the NOAA Central Library.