The origin of marine geology

Abstract

In our time, there is a growing interest in the history of science. This may be an indication that science is reaching adulthood. It has taken an established and recognized position. Although still strongly striving towards further advances in a near future, science has now learned that only when seen against the background of its history its present position can be understood and its future prospects be assessed. What is true for science in general also holds for the marine geo-sciences. The following pages show a few major lines along which oceanography and, more particularly, the marine geo-sciences have developed. In the selection of subjects and examples, a review of this length necessarily has to be somewhat arbitrary. Moreover, it ends at a stage where the full scope of the marine geo-sciences actually just began. However, if a discussion of developments during the last three-quarters of a century would have also been included, at least an equal amount of pages extra would have been required and the selection would have been even more arbitrary. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this paper will help a little in the understanding of how the scientific disciplines to which this journal is devoted were born. It may seem to be somewhat arbitrary to end a review on the history of marine geology with the publication of the results of the "Challenger" expedition. Nevertheless, the author believes there is reason to do so. As stated, this expedition opened up a new stage in the development of this field. Even before the end of the nineteenth century, a few dozen further deep-sea expeditions were carried out, and a great many more followed in the twentieth century. Studies in shallow marine areas ~lso vastly developed. If justice is to be done to all the work done since the "Challenger" expedition, the limits of a journal paper will have to be greatly surpassed. The foundations of the marine geo-sciences have been shown and readers of this journal can see for themselves the group of impressive constructions that have been raised upon these.