XXIII. RESULT OF THE MEASUREMENT OF A BASE LINE BY SOUND BETWEEN CAPE FRIO LIGHT-HOUSE AND ENXADOS ISLAND......................... XXIV. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RELIEF, PEACOCK, PORPOISE, ETC........ 391 XXV. ORDERS TO CAPTAIN HUDSON FOR ANTARCTIC CRUISE..................... 394 XXVI. ORDERS TO LIEUTENANT R. E. JOHNSON FOR ANTARCTIC CRUISE........ 397 XXVII. ORDERS TO LIEUTENANT W. M. WALKER FOR ANTARCTIC CRUISE....... 398 XXVIII. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOAT DUTY, SURVEYING, ETC............. XXIV. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE VINCENNES.. XXX. ORDERS TO LIEUTENANT-COMMANDANT LONG................................ XXXIV. ORDERS TO LIEUTENANT CRAVEN, AND PAPERS RELATIVE TO HIM........... 418 XLI. ORDERS FOR OBSERVATIONS, MODE OF SURVEYING CORAL ISLANDS, ETC. 427 XLII. LETTER RELATIVE TO THE WANT OF CONFORMITY TO ORDERS.......... 432 APPENDIX. I. STATEMENT IN RELATION TO LIEUTENANT HUDSON'S GOING OUT IN THE LIEUTENANT HUDSON received orders, while first lieutenant of the navy-yard, New York, to proceed to Washington. On his arrival, he was told by the Secretary of the Navy, the Hon. Mahlon Dickerson, that he had been sent for to go out in the Exploring Expedition, and was directed to see Mr. Poinsett, then Secretary of War, under whose direction these arrangements had been placed. After an interview with the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Presi dent of the United States, Lieutenant Hudson declined going out in the Expedition, under Lieutenant Wilkes, in consequence of his rank, and the military character of the Expedition. Lieutenant Hudson left Washington, returned to New York, and resumed his duties as first lieutenant of the navy-yard, under Commodore Ridgely. After a short period the following communication was received from the Hon. Joel R. Poinsett. II. [Copy.] Washington, June 5th, 1838. LIEUTENANT HUDSON, U. S. NAVY, Sir, The anxiety I feel, in common with the whole country, for the success of the Exploring Expedition, and the high estimate I have formed, from the testimony of your brother officers, of your character and abilities, render me exceedingly desirous of securing your services as its second officer. Not only is it of great importance that the commander should have as his second in command, an officer in whose zeal and efficient co-operation he can rely, but the government desires the choice should fall on one possessing the necessary qualifications in case of an accident to that officer, to carry out the objects of the Expedition, and to conduct it in safety to our own shores. With these views and wishes, I have seen, with regret, that a mere matter of etiquette prevents you from engaging in a service for which you are so well fitted. Regarding as I do the practice of giving officers temporary appointments as illegal, and prejudicial to the service, I could not recommend to the President to sanction its continuance for three years longer, by granting such appointment to the officers of the Expedition. It does not, however, appear to me, that this decision ought to present an obstacle to your accepting a command under Lieutenant Wilkes, whom you rank by what must be considered an imaginary line. If the Expedition were of a military character, I would not attempt to combat your scruples; but it is purely civil, and even should a war break out between the United States and any naval power, your path upon the ocean would be peaceful. It is the opinion of the President, as well as my own, that an Expedition, undertaken to promote science, and extend the bounds of human knowledge, ought to command the services of all who can contribute to its success, in whatever station it may be thought most advantageous to place them; and I venture to hope, that waiving all claim to superior rank, you will accept the command now tendered you. AFTER Captain Hudson was assured that a General Order would be published, divesting the Expedition of its military character, and consulting Commodore Ridgely,-well known in the service for his high sense of honour, and thorough knowledge on all points of etiquette and duty, and for whose judgment he had great respect, whose decided opinion and advice was, that it was his duty, as an officer of the government, under the circumstances of the case, to accept the command and go out in the Expedition,-Captain Hudson sent the following acceptance. U. S. Navy-Yard, SIR, New York, June 16th, 1838. The peculiarly delicate situation in which I felt myself placed in relation to Lieutenant Wilkes, must be my excuse for the delay which has occurred in replying to your communication of the 5th instant, proffering to me the situation of second in command of the Exploring Expedition. The coincidence of opinion between the President and yourself in relation to its character in a military point of view, the claims of the nation upon the services of its officers, with the very flattering suggestion contained in your letter, have outweighed my scruples. I, therefore, from a sense of duty, accept the command, and tender my best services to promote the objects of the Expedition, and advance the honour of our common country. THE armament of the Exploring Expedition, being adapted merely for its necessary defence while engaged in the examination and survey of the Southern Ocean, against any attempts to disturb its operations by the savage and warlike inhabitants of those islands; and the objects which it is destined to promote being altogether scientific and useful, intended for the benefit equally of the United States, and of all commercial nations of the world; it is considered to be entirely divested of all military character, that even in the event of the country being involved in a war, before the return of the squadron, its path upon the ocean will be peaceful, and its pursuits respected by all belligerents. The President has, therefore, thought proper, in assigning officers to the command of this squadron, to depart from the usual custom of selecting them from the senior ranks of the navy and according to their respective grades in the service; and has appointed Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, first officer, to command the Exploring Expedition, and Lieutenant William L. Hudson to command 354 the ship Peacock, and to be second officer of said squadron, and take command thereof, in the event of the death of the first officer, or his disability, from accident or sickness, to conduct the operations of the Expedition. (Signed) Navy Department, June 22d, 1838. V. MAHLON DICKERSON, Secretary of the Navy MEMORANDUM FOR THE COMMANDER OF THE EXPEDITION TO EXPLORE THE SOUTH SEAS, BY ADMIRAL KRUSENSTERN. NOTE. The asterisk after the number of some of these articles, denotes that the I. I HAVE pointed out, in the supplementary volume of my Hydrographical Memoirs, (pages 19, 96, and 113,) several islands, the existence of which does not appear to be subject to any doubt, but of which the position is not determined with the best precision. It is much to be wished that all such islands were to be visited, and their position verified. With respect to the islands of rather doubtful existence, the names of which I have given, (pages 156-165, supplement,) there is certainly no other method of ascertaining their existence than to search for them, and to determine, with the greatest precision, the latitudes and longitudes of such as are found. A great number of these imaginary islands will then, of course, vanish from the charts. II. Captain Bligh discovered, in the year 1789, to the northward of the New Hebrides, a group of islands, which he named Banks's Islands; and Captain Wilson, another cluster of islands, to the northward of the Santa Cruz Islands, named by him Duff's Group. Neither these nor the Banks's Islands having been since seen, it would be well to make a new survey of them. III. Islands of Santa Cruz.-In my Memoir, belonging to the chart of these islands, I have discussed the situation of Carteret's Swallow Island, and expressed my belief that the islands seen by Captain Wilson in 1797 are the same as Swallow Island. Captain Freycinet is of the same opinion, and, by a new survey of Wilson's Island, confirmed this hypothesis. There remains, then, no doubt that Byron's Swallow Island does not exist; but, as it still continues to be delineated on some |