CORRESPONDENCE. 151 



in the universal distribution of the magnificent collections of Dr 

 Wallich, is, in this respect, worthy of all imitation. 



By a comparatively slight increase of labour on the part of the 

 scientific corps, a sufficient collection may be made for the pur- 

 poses I have indicated ; since the botanist, when fully prepared 

 with the requisite means, can prepare thirty or forty specimens 

 almost as readily as a smaller number. In some branches of 

 zoology, I am well aware that collections cannot be made upon 

 so extensive a scale, except by a very disproportionate increase of 

 expense and labour. The number of sets to be collected will, of 

 course, wholly depend upon the circumstances under which the 

 scientific corps are to be placed ; but the botanist should be in- 

 structed to secure, if possible, at least twenty-five or thirty speci- 

 mens of all the plants, fruits, &c., which fall under his notice. 



I omit all particular remark concerning the zoological and min- 

 eralogical departments in the proposed expedition : not, as you 

 will readily believe, that I by any means underrate their import- 

 ance ; but because I conceive that you are already in correspond- 

 ence with those who are making these sciences a separate pursuit. 

 To do justice to the single department of zoology, will require the 

 joint labour of several persons : all subordinate, of course, to a 

 common head, who will assume the direction of the whole. A 

 botanist, with two competent assistants, will, I think, suffice for 

 that department. Two assistants are, in my opinion, indispensable * 

 since the aid of one will be constantly needed by the principal 

 botanist ; while the other would often be required to accompany 

 the smaller vessels, when engaged in a distant survey. 



Allow me, in conclusion, to express a hope, since our govern- 

 ment is about to lend its aid to the promotion of maritime disco- 

 very, in which the chief nations of Europe are already so highly 

 distinguished, -a hope entertained, I trust, by all who feel a lively 

 interest in our national honour, that the whole expedition will be 

 placed upon a scale of enlightened liberality, with a view to the 



