40 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
his friends, Congress in the winter of 1869-70 passed an act 
authorizing the organization of an expedition toward the North 
Pole, which was later known as Hall’s Third Arctic Expedition, 
or the voyage of the Polaris, from the name of the vessel com- 
missioned for the undertaking. The Act of Congress was as 
follows: 
“Src. 9. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States 
be authorized to organize and send out one or more expeditions toward the North 
Pole, and to appoint such person or persons as he may deem most fitted to the 
command thereof; to detail any officer of the public service to take part in the 
same, and to use any public vessel that may be suitable for the purpose; the 
scientific operations of the expedition to be prescribed in accordance with the 
advice of the National Academy of Sciences; and that the sum of fifty thousand 
dollars, or such part thereof as may be necessary, be hereby appropriated, out of 
any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended under the 
direction of the President.” 
Approved, July 12, 1870.17 
Captain Hall was appointed leader of the expedition, and 
in accordance with the Act of Congress the Secretary issued 
instructions to him, in which were included those of a committee 
of the National Academy of Sciences. The instructions were 
embodied in a pamphlet, which was published under the title: 
“Instructions for the Expedition toward the North Pole from 
Hon. Geo. M. Robeson, Secretary of the Navy. With an 
appendix from the National Academy of Sciences. 1871.” 
On page 4 the following reference is made to the Academy: 
“You [Chas. F. Hall] will render Dr. Bessels and his assistants all such 
facilities and aids as may be in your power to carry into effect the said further 
advice, as given in the instructions herewith furnished in a communication from 
the president of the National Academy of Sciences. It is, however, important 
that objects of natural history, ethnology, etc., etc., which may be collected by 
any person attached to the expedition, shall be delivered to the chief of the 
scientific department, to be cared for by him, under your direction, and considered 
the property of the government; and every person be strictly prohibited from 
keeping any such object.” 
The instructions and appendix are also contained in the Re- 
port of the Secretary of the Navy for 1871, pp. 238-260. 
* Stat. at Large, vol. 16, 1871, p. 251, 41st Congress, 2d Session, chap. 251, sec. 9. 
