CATALOGUE OF THE WATERCEAFT COLLECTION. 3 



tecture in a country which owes so much of its success and greatness 

 to the art which has created the floating fabrics that have sailed 

 from its shores. It is proper, too, that the products of the skill of 

 the aborigines of this continent, generally suggesting a most inter- 

 esting application of means to ends, should stand side by side with 

 the more imposing fabrics employed by the white man in commerce. 

 Wlien to these are added collections more or less completely illus- 

 trating the condition of naval architecture in other parts of the 

 globe, it will be seen that much has been accomplished in bringing 

 together material for study and which at the same time has a 

 marked importance from an historical standpoint. 



Wliile much has been done to increase the collections in certain 

 lines, it should be understod that in no way do they approach a 

 complete representation, but rather form a nucleus around which 

 may be assembled other objects in this field. Tliey are the result of 

 incidents rather than of a well defined and properly sustained effort 

 to make them complete and exhaustive. 



Many of the expeditions sent out by the United States, beginning 

 with the Wilkes expedition in 1838-1842, have from time to time 

 brought to the Museum specimens of boats and models of vessels col- 

 lected in various parts of the world over which the cruises extended. 

 So far as the craft of the aborigines are concerned, many were 

 gathered by a systematic effort, the ultimate object of which was to 

 secure representations of all forms of boats or other means of water 

 transportation used by the natives in various parts of America. 

 Advantage, very properly, was taken of various expositions which 

 had been held in this country, or in which the United States had 

 participated abroad, to add to the collections, and much interesting 

 and valuable material was obtained in this way. 



The fact that fishing boats and vessels constituted an important 

 feature of the exhibits displayed by the United States Fish Com- 

 mission at the various expositions in which it participated at home 

 and in foreign countries, resulted in bringing together, as part of 

 the collection, a series of models, largely prepared under the direc- 

 tion of Capt. Joseph W. Collins, which constitutes a most compre- 

 hensive and exhaustive epitome of naval architecture as applied to 

 the fisheries in this country since its settlement. Captain Collins 

 had the opportunity also to add considerably to the collections illus- 

 trative of the American merchant marine through the generosity of 

 individuals desirous of preserving in a national institution some 

 tangible historical record of our merchant marine. 



Reference should not be omitted of many individuals who have 

 generously contributed or who have improved their opportunities 

 while traveling abroad to make collections. 



