The speculation began before FitzRoy was cold in his grave. Who would succeed him? Some considered Glaisher a likely successor. Others supposed the post would again be filled by a naval officer. In fact, many months passed before anyone at all filled it on a permanent basis. FitzRoy's second in command, Thomas Babington, was in charge for nineteen months, but his appointment was never more than temporary, and he had to wait a long time for even that to be approved. He waited until 9 June 1866, by which time a government inquiry into the work of the Department had taken place.

A New Beginning

The first moves to set up an inquiry were made little more than a week after FitzRoy's death. Edward Sabine, the President of the Royal Society, reported at the meeting of the Society's Council on 18 May 1865 that he had been consulted by the President of the Board of Trade, Thomas Milner-Gibson, about “arrangements in consequence of the death of FitzRoy”. In his response, dated 10 May 1865, he had come straight to the point. “Should it not be desired to fill up the vacancy occasioned by Admiral FitzRoy's death immediately, time would be afforded for a reconsideration of the duties of the Office, which might be productive of advantage in many respects.” Babington was “competent to conduct and continue the system of storm warnings (with such assistance as he may require and with such moderate increase of his own salary as may be deemed suitable)”. Nevertheless, “the time may be viewed as suitable for obtaining and considering evidence and opinions as to the advantages, present and prospective, of continuing the practise of storm warnings”. And, he suggested, “it may be unnecessary to continue the publication of the daily forecasts”. The ocean statistics work could, he thought, be transferred to the Admiralty's Hydrographic Department.