La conférence maritime de Bruxelles en 1853: première conférence océanographique internationale

The Maritime Conference of Brussels in 1853: the first international conference on oceanography In 1853, the first international Maritime Conference was held in Brussels, on the initiative of M.F. Maury and organized by the Belgian astronomer L.A.J. Quetelet. Deleguees from ten countries agreed to adopt a uniform recording system for meteorological observations of the ocean regions, to be used on military and commercial ships. These observations were to be handed over to national meteorological bureaus, where they could be properly studied. The conference not only represented a turning point in the history of international cooperation, but it also advocated a novel, multidisciplinary approach towards maritime research.