kindred pursuits, whose equal dignity and usefulness should insure equal ardour and industry in extending their bounds and verifying their principles. As guides to yourself and to the scientific corps, the Department would, however, direct your particular attention to the learned and comprehensive Reports of a committee of the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, the Report of a Committee of the East India Marine Society, of Salem, Massachusetts; and to a communication from the Naval Lyceum of New York, which accompany, and are to be regarded as forming a part of these instructions, so far as they may accord with the primary objects of the Expedition, and its present organization. You will, therefore, allow the gentlemen of the scientific corps the free perusal of these valuable documents, and permit them to copy such portions as they may think proper. The Russian Vice-Admiral Krusenstern, has transmitted to the Department memorandums relating to the objects of this Expedition, together with the most improved charts of his atlas of the Pacific Ocean, with explanations, in three volumes. These are also confided to your care; and it is not doubted that the friendly contributions of this distinguished navigator will essentially contribute to the success of an enterprise in which he takes so deep an interest. You will prohibit all those under your command from furnishing any persons not belonging to the Expedition, with copies of any journal, charts, plan, memorandum, specimen, drawing, painting, or information of any kind, which has reference to the objects or proceedings of the Expedition. It being considered highly important that no journal of these voyages, either partial or complete, should be published, without the authority and under the supervision of the government of the United States, at whose expense this Expedition is undertaken, you will, before you reach the waters of the United States, require from every person under your command the surrender of all journals, memorandums, remarks, writings, drawings, sketches, and paintings, as well as all specimens of every kind, collected or prepared during your absence from the United States. After causing correct inventories of these to be made and signed by two commissioned officers, and by the parties by whom they were collected or prepared, you will cause them to be carefully sealed by the said officers, and reserved for such disposition as the Department may direct. You will adopt the most effectual measures to prepare and preserve all specimens of natural history that may be collected, and should any opportunities occur for sending home by a vessel of war of the United States, copies of information, or duplicates of specimens, or any other material you may deem it important to preserve from the reach of future accident, you will avail your self of the occasion, forwarding as frequently as may be done with safety, details of your voyage and its most material events, at the same time strictly prohibiting all communications except to this Department, from any person attached to the Expedition, referring to discoveries, or any circumstances connected with the progress of your enterprise. It is believed that the officers under your command require no special advice or direction from this Department. Bearing in mind, as they no doubt will, that the undertaking which they are about assisting to accomplish, is one that necessarily attracts the attention of the civilized world, and that the honour and interests of their country are equally involved in its results, it is not for a moment doubted that in this, as on all other occasions, they will so conduct themselves, as to add to the reputation our navy has so justly acquired at home and abroad. With the best wishes for the success of the Expedition, and the safe return of yourself and your companions, TO LIEUTENANT CHARLES WILKES, I am, very respectfully, Commanding the Exploring and Surveying Expedition, &c. J. K. PAULDING. P. S. The accompanying printed list of English words, drawn up by Mr. Gallatin, and received from the War Department since these instructions were prepared, are intended for Indian vocabularies, which can be filled up as circumstances permit, taking care that the same words be used in all of them. (Signed) J. K. PAULDing. |