The Austro-Hungarian deep-sea expeditions

When, in the second half of the 19(th) century, oceanography emerged as a scientific discipline of its own, most of the seafaring nations of the time sent out expeditions to oceanographically investigate the sea. The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy did likewise, but instead of organizing another circumnavigation to collect various data from various oceans, the systematic investigation of a defined region of the oceans was chosen as the appropriate approach. On 11 April 1889 the zoologist Franz STEINDACHNER, the geologist Franz Ritter von HAUER, and the meteorologist Julius HANN submitted a proposal for expeditions to the Eastern Mediterranean to the Viennese Academy of Sciences, and the Academy set up the ''Commission for the Exploration of the Eastern Mediterranean'', later ''Commission for Oceanographic Research''; members of this so-called ''Deep-Sea Commission'' included the zoologist Carl CLAUS and the geologist Eduard SUEB. The Academy of Sciences provided the scientific programme and equipment for these deep-sea expeditions, the navy, under its scientifically minded commander-in-chief, Admiral STERNECK, supplied the ship and crew, and the Museum of Natural History delegated scientists from its staff and took care of the large collections. The navy transport vessel ''Pola'' was outfitted with the latest oceanographic equipment using the expertise of Prince Albert of Monaco, Alexander AGASSIZ, and the Stazione Zoologica di Napoli. Among the scientists on board on various occasions were the zoologists Karl GROBBEN, Emil von MARENZELLER, Franz STEINDACHNER, and Berthold HATSCHEK, the chemist Konrad NATTERER, and the marine physicist Josef LUKSCH. In the years 1890 to 1894 several oceanographic cruises led to the Eastern Mediterranean - from the Ionic Sea to the Egyptian coast - along with special missions to the Adriatic Sea and to the Sea of Marmara. The success of these cruises led to the extension of the investigations to the Red Sea: in 1895/96 the northern, in 1897/98 the southern part was explored. As a consequence of these expeditions the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea were among the oceanographically best-studied areas of the oceans. The scientific results were published in 14 series by the Academy of Sciences, and the collections kept specialists busy for decades.