EXPEDITION TOWARD THE NORTH POLE. 365 



must necessarily remain statiouary ; aucl therefore, in order that the 

 opportunity of obtaining such results might not be lost, a committee 

 of the National Academy of Sciences was appointed to prepare a 

 series of instructions on the different branches of physics and natural 

 history, and to render assistance in procuring the scientific outfit. 



Great difGcnlty was met with in obtaining men of the proper scientific 

 acquirements to embark in an enterprise which must necessarily be 

 attended with much ijrivation, and in which, in a measure, science must 

 be subordinate. This difficulty was, however, happily obviated by the 

 offer of an accomplished physicist and naturalist, Dr. E. Bessels, . of 

 Heidelberg, to take charge of the scientific operations, with such assist- 

 ance as could be afforded him by two or three intelligent young men 

 that might be trained for the service. Dr. Bessels was the scientific 

 director of the German expedition to Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla, in 

 1809, during which he made, for the first time, a most interesting series 

 of observations on the depths and currents of the adjacent seas. From 

 his character, acquirements, and enthusiasm in the cause of science, he 

 is admirably well qualified for the arduous and laborious office for which 

 he is a volunteer. The most important of the assistants was one to be 

 intrusted, under Dr. Bessels, with the astronomical and magnetic 

 observations, and such a one has been found in the. person of Mr. Bryan, 

 a graduate of Lafayette College, at Baston, Pennsylvania, who, under 

 the direction of Professor Hilgard, has received from Mr. Schott and 

 Sir. Keith, of the Coast Survey, practical instructions in the use of the 

 instruments. 



The Academy would therefore earnestly recommend, as an essential 

 condition of the success of the objects in. which it is interested, that Dr. 

 Bessels be appointed as sole director of the scientific operations of the 

 expedition, and that Captain Hall be instructed to afford him isuch 

 facilities and assistance as may be necessary for the special objects 

 under his charge, and which are not incompatible with the prominent 

 idea of the original enterprise. 



As to the route to be pursued with the greatest probability of reach- 

 ing the Pole, either to the east or west of Greenland, the Acadeuiy for- 

 bears to make any suggestions, Captain Hall having definitely concluded 

 that the route through Baffin's Bay, the one with which he is most 

 familiar, is that to be adopted. One point, however, should be specially 

 urged upon Captain Hall, namely, the determination with the utmost 

 scientific precision possible of all his geographical positions, and 

 especially of the ultimate northern limit which he attains. The evidence 

 of the genuineness of every deteruiiuatiou of this kind should be made 

 apparent beyond all question. 



On the return of tl\e expedition the collections which may be made in 

 natural history-, &c., will, in accordance with a law of Congress, be de- 

 posited in the National Museum, under the care of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution ; and we would suggest that the scientific records be discussed ^ 

 and prepared for publication by Dr. Bessels, with such assistance as he 



