17 



ers sends out, in its turn, an exploring expedition to- 

 wards the Antarctic pole." There is every reason to 

 hope that the results of this expedition will prove as 

 useful and honorable to the nation as its conception was 

 creditable to its authors. It is a remarkable fact, that 

 three national expeditions on voyages of discovery and 

 for purposes of science, were traversing the same ocean 

 at the same period ; the American and French squad- 

 rons being in sight of each other, in a stormy sea, on an 

 unknown and ice-bound coast, and striving with each 

 other for the honorable distinction of priority of disco- 

 very. We await with impatience the rich harvest of 

 new scientific observation and physical facts which the 

 return of our exploring squadron will bring us. Much, 

 however, remains to be done for the advancement of 

 geography in our country. The vast inland seas which 

 form our northern boundary, covered as they are with 

 vessels, and teeming with commerce, have never been 

 explored by the hydrographer. The navigator sails 

 over them with dread, for there exists no chart to warn 

 him of the dangers he may encounter ; and the works 

 erected by Government along their shores for refuge in 

 times of storm, are too incomplete to answer the pur- 

 pose. As to the interior of our country little is known 

 scientifically and accurately. It may be said that it is 

 the province of the States to construct maps of their 

 several territories. It may be so, but without some 

 common centre, from whence uniform plans and in- 

 structions issue, State maps will be laid down upon dif- 

 ferent projections, and be wanting in astronomical accu- 

 racy. A map of the United States, to be useful, ought 

 to be constructed upon an uniform plan, and under the 

 c 



