PAPERS RELATmG TO FIRST EXPEDITION. 



War Department, 

 Washington, May 10, 1855. 



Sir : Assigned to special duty in connexion witli the appropriation 

 for "importing camels for army transportation and for other military 

 purposes," you will proceed without delay to the Levant^ and there 

 make such investigations as, \vith the knowledge you already possess 

 of the animal, and of the views and intentions of the government in 

 relation to its introduction, will enable you to execute the law of 

 Congress. A storeship, which (after the delivery of stores for the 

 Mediterranean squadron at Spezzia) has been placed at my disposal 

 by the Secretary of the Navy, will leave New York on or about the 

 2bth instant, under the command of Lieutenant D. D. Porter, United 

 States navy, who has been associated with you in the commission. In 

 the prosecution of your duties it may be requisite for one or both of 

 you to go into the interior of Asia ; and should you, in such expedi- 

 tions, visit the government of any state or country with which the 

 United States has no established relations^ diplomatic^ consular, or 

 commercial, you will present yourselves in your official capacities, as 

 charged by your government with a special commission, and request, 

 in the name of your governtaent, such friendly offices as international 

 courtesy warrants. 



On your way to the Levant, you may find, especially in England 

 and France, persons whom it would be desirable to consult on points 

 connected with this special service, such as General Marey Monge, 

 Colonel Carbuccia, and other officers of the French army who were 

 connected with the experiments in Africa, on the use of the camel in 

 the military service of France. You had also better examine for 

 your information the stock, training, and breeding of the Barbary 

 camel, imported into Tuscany some two hundred years ago, and 

 which, by careful breeding, is reported to have been greatly improved, 

 both in size and strength. Leave your address at Spezzia for Lieut. 

 Porter, and indicate the point at which he is to meet you with the 

 vessel. 



Report to me as often as you can, giving me full information of your 

 operations, that I may be advised of your course, and, if necessary, 

 furnish you with further and more precise instructions. 



In conclusion, it is hardly necessary to mention, but still I do so to 

 impress it upon you, that time is an important element_, and that I 

 wish you to be as prompt in the execution of this duty as the security 

 of the experiment will permit, to which, of course, everything else 

 must be subordinate. 



