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My first impression was: why so many underwater pictures? Did they figure we were running out of landmass? Or is it because the ocean was one of the frontiers a

My first impression was: why so many underwater pictures? Did they figure we were running out of landmass? Or is it because the ocean was one of the frontiers associated with exploration?

InclinedPlane 14y ago
The 2nd. Also, submersibles were becoming a big deal around then.
ljf 14y ago
Also posted this below, but: I presume it's because underwater adventuring and photography was very new and exciting: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/archeosm/archeosom/en/scafan.htm http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/archeosm/archeosom/en/sca... First underwater photography: http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/the-first-underwater-photo/ http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/the-first-under...
dspillett 14y ago
Space travel wasn't really considered possible. Air travel was seen as a maybe but the first successful powered flight has not yet happened (or if someone had managed it by then, their achievement had not been widely reported). The first practical small submarines were around on the early 1800s (man powered at that point) and there had been many advancements in underwater tech (including significant steps in individual breathing apparatus and practical powered sub-marine vehicles) in the late 1800s - so around 1900 the oceans were the next great frontier in the eyes of many of the people who were in a position to care about such things, particularly after the popular success of Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues" and to a lesser extent other similar works. This aspiration of the oceans as the next great frontier may also have been driven partly by the massive increase in demand for fuel over that century or two due to the industrial revolution: if you could find a massive source of useful fuel material in that great unexplored wilderness you could name your fortune. lt;dr: around then, under-water was cool to the public (brought up in the industrial revolution & looking for the next exciting technological developments), potentially very important militarily, and seen as one of mankinds next big steps.
- rrreese 14y ago
  Air travel was seen as a maybe but the first successful powered flight has not yet happened By 1900 there had been several successful experimental airships, and in 1900 the Luftschiff Zeppelin LZ1 launched. It would be another three years before the Wright Flyer flew though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship#Early_pioneers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship#Early_pioneers
  - dspillett 14y ago
    Ah, for some reason I had my history backwards and thought successful winged flight attempts came before Zeppelins had seen that much success. Thanks for the correction.
- nsns 14y ago
  There's a lot of flying in these pictures.
nl 14y ago
I suspect it was because - in the days before powered airflight - sea travel was the most common form of long distance travel. They did have a lot of flying pictures (which I found impressive), but missed that flying would diminish the importance of water transport for people.

My first impression was: why so many underwater pictures? Did they figure we were running out of landmass? Or is it because the ocean was one of the frontiers associated with exploration?

InclinedPlane 14y ago

The 2nd. Also, submersibles were becoming a big deal around then.

ljf 14y ago

Also posted this below, but: I presume it's because underwater adventuring and photography was very new and exciting: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/archeosm/archeosom/en/scafan.htm http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/archeosm/archeosom/en/sca... First underwater photography: http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/the-first-underwater-photo/ http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/the-first-under...

dspillett 14y ago

Space travel wasn't really considered possible. Air travel was seen as a maybe but the first successful powered flight has not yet happened (or if someone had managed it by then, their achievement had not been widely reported). The first practical small submarines were around on the early 1800s (man powered at that point) and there had been many advancements in underwater tech (including significant steps in individual breathing apparatus and practical powered sub-marine vehicles) in the late 1800s - so around 1900 the oceans were the next great frontier in the eyes of many of the people who were in a position to care about such things, particularly after the popular success of Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues" and to a lesser extent other similar works. This aspiration of the oceans as the next great frontier may also have been driven partly by the massive increase in demand for fuel over that century or two due to the industrial revolution: if you could find a massive source of useful fuel material in that great unexplored wilderness you could name your fortune. lt;dr: around then, under-water was cool to the public (brought up in the industrial revolution & looking for the next exciting technological developments), potentially very important militarily, and seen as one of mankinds next big steps.

rrreese 14y ago
Air travel was seen as a maybe but the first successful powered flight has not yet happened By 1900 there had been several successful experimental airships, and in 1900 the Luftschiff Zeppelin LZ1 launched. It would be another three years before the Wright Flyer flew though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship#Early_pioneers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airship#Early_pioneers
- dspillett 14y ago
  Ah, for some reason I had my history backwards and thought successful winged flight attempts came before Zeppelins had seen that much success. Thanks for the correction.
nsns 14y ago
There's a lot of flying in these pictures.

nl 14y ago

I suspect it was because - in the days before powered airflight - sea travel was the most common form of long distance travel. They did have a lot of flying pictures (which I found impressive), but missed that flying would diminish the importance of water transport for people.