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quires the fostering care of Government. In this respect 

 it has been more fortunate than astronomy. The ex- 

 pedition of Lewis and Clark, undertaken by direction 

 of Mr. Jefferson, and destined to explore the route across 

 the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, that of the 

 brave and gallant Pike, and those under that enter- 

 prising officer and accomplished observer Long, still 

 further to examine that portion of our territory ; the 

 coast survey which is now in progress under the learned 

 and accurate Hassler ; the exploration of the country 

 lying between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers by 

 that indefatigable and scientific traveller Nicollet; and 

 the expedition under the command of Lieut. Wilkes, 

 intended to explore unknown seas, to discover new 

 sources of commercial enterprise, and to point out the 

 dangers which beset the path of the navigator, while 

 it sweeps from the charts those islands and shoals which 

 have no existence, save in the imagination of former 

 hydrographers ; have been fitted out and supported by 

 the Government, and have attracted the favorable no- 

 tice of scientific men throughout the world. The Geo- 

 graphical Society of France speaks, by its President, 

 of that expedition in the following term : " In calling 

 your attention to the voyages round the world, and to 

 other maritime enterprises which have, in our time, 

 so largely contributed to the establishment and pro- 

 gress of geography, I have to observe, that it is no 

 longer from our old Europe alone that these great ex- 

 peditions set forth. The new world now rivals the old. 

 The Government of the United States of America 

 of that nation which, in less than half a century, has 

 taken a prominent station among the maritime pow- 



