18 REPOKT OF THE SECRETARY. 



mont, Congress made an appropriation for the purchase of a whaling 

 steamer, the "Helen and Mary," then at San Franeisco, and to fit it out 

 for the purpose of engaging in the search for the "Jeannette." A board 

 of naval officers was formed to select a j)lan for search and prepare the 

 necessary instructions. Of this board Admiral John Eodgers was presi- 

 dent, and in commemoration of his services in that respect, and also 

 of his having been the only American naval officer who had previously 

 nmde an official exploration in the arctic region to be visited, the name 

 of the vessel was changed to that of the " Eodgers," and Lieutenant 

 Berry placed in command. Although extended investigations in natu- 

 ral and physical science were not contemplated by the board, yet, with 

 a i^roper spirit of inquiry, Lieutenant Berry asked for suggestions as to 

 what could be done in the line of natural history, and they were furnished 

 by the Smithsonian Institution with much pleasure, together with some 

 apparatus, alcohol, &c., necessary in connection with the cai)ture and 

 preservation of spectmens. 



The " Eodgers" made a complete exploration of the mysterious Wran- 

 gel Land, and entered into winter quarters on the shores of Siberia, ex- 

 pecting in the spring to resume its search for the "Jeannette." J twill, 

 however, be made acquainted with the fate of the "Jeannette" in time 

 to prevent any waste of effort, and the vessel, it is understood, will re- 

 turn at once to the United States. 



No report has yet been made as to any scientific results obtained by 

 the expedition. 



For some years past Commander F. M. Green, of the l^avy, has been 

 engaged, under the direction of the Bureau of aSTavigation, in making 

 a determination of the longitudes of various points in the Atlantic 

 Ocean, and adjacent thereto, the Avork being mainly done by means of 

 the numerous submarine and land telegraphs. In the spring of 1881 

 Commander Green was ordered to continue his work in the Pacific 

 Ocean, and the steamer "Palos," then in the Chinese and Japanese 

 seas, was placed in readiness for his use. Commander Green invited 

 the co-operation of the Smithsohian Institution in making his work 

 productive of results in the department of natural history as well as in 

 that of physical science; and Dr. F. C. Dale v>as detailed as a surgeon, 

 and a gentleman well and favorably known lor his attainments as a nat- 

 uralist. He took with him as an assistant Mr. P. L. Jouj", for a long 

 time in the employ of the National Museum, and accomplished in the 

 preservation of objects of natural history. The party proceeded by 

 land to San Francisco, and thence by steamer to Yolaihama, the com- 

 mander there meeting the vessel and entering upon his work. Very 

 valuable collections were made, first in Japan, and secondly at Shanghai, 

 in China. The portion of the expedition that was sent to Vladivostock 

 also obtained some interesting collections. Through their instrumen- 

 tality, also, the government authorities in Tokio and the Natural His- 

 tory Museum at Shanghai contributed quite largely to the collections, 



