Absence Quote by Matthew Fontaine Maury
“It is a custom often practiced by seafaring people to throw a bottle overboard, with a paper, stating the time and place at which it is done. In the absence of other information as to currents, that afforded by these mute little navigators is of great value.”
About This Quote
Source Historical Practice: Maritime tradition, 19th century, documented by Matthew Fontaine Maury
Sailors historically used time‑stamped bottles as simple navigational aids to share current information.
In simple terms: Sailors used bottles to record time and place.
Key Takeaway
Use simple tools to share critical data.
Themes
navigation
communication
maritime tradition
Mood
practical
historical
Type
educational
informative
When to use this quote
- fishing expeditions
- coastal research
- educational demonstrations
Key Concepts
information sharing
low‑tech solutions
Questions to Reflect On
- How can modern technology improve this practice?
- What are low‑cost alternatives for sharing navigational data?
A Different Perspective
Reliance on physical messages can be unreliable in modern contexts.
![“We [Israel people] always blame Moses, that he was our greatest leader and one of the most gifted people in the world. He brought us the moral code and so on, belief in one God, but then he was a bad navigator. He brought us to the only part of the Middle East without any gas, without any oil.” quote by Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/99f/benjamin-netanyahu-2269_belief_we-israel-people-always-blame-moses-that_592836.jpg)
