150 CORRESPONDENCE. 



explored, than from any other part of the whole known world, 

 excepting, perhaps, the Mountains of the Moon in Central Africa. 



A principal reason for impressing upon the directors and con- 

 ductors of the expedition, the importance of a well-filled botanical 

 department, consists in the fact of the almost certain discovery of 

 new and valuable kinds of woods, new materials for cordage, (for 

 which we are already so greatly indebted to the islands of the 

 South Sea,) new dye-stuffs, drugs, and other useful vegetable 

 productions, which may hereafter open a wide field for commercial 

 enterprise, and contribute, in no small degree, to the prosperity of 

 the country. You will at once observe, sir, that these anticipa- 

 tions contemplate for the botanist of the expedition, higher and 

 more extensive duties than the mere collection of ornamental 

 plants, and the description of new species. These objects should, 

 indeed, receive all proper attention, whilst the more important 

 results, at which I have hinted, should be steadily kept in view. 

 It is obvious, therefore, that the person selected to take charge of 

 this department, should not only be a skilful botanist, but should 

 also be well versed in vegetable chemistry : and it is especially 

 desirable, that he be furnished with the requisite means of testing, 

 on the spot, the nature and probable value of the various vegetable 

 products, that may be from time to time discovered. 



I think it highly important that the botanist be instructed to 

 collect and preserve several sets of all the objects in his province ; 

 in order that the government may in due time present a suite of 

 specimens to several of the learned societies, and even, perhaps, 

 to the most eminent scientific individuals, both in this country and 

 in Europe. In this way, the risk of losing, at any future period, 

 the whole collection by fire or other accident, will be completely 

 obviated; and the means of comparison and confirmation being 

 thus liberally afforded to the whole learned world, the results may 

 be expected to contribute, in the very highest degree, to the ad- 

 vancement of science. The example of the East India Company, 



