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November, 1 834, praying that provision may be made by law for 

 a voyage of discovery and survey to the South seas, is highly 

 important to our shipping and commercial interests, and is hereby 

 recommended by the said assembly to the favourable considera- 

 tion of the Congress of the United States." 



Following this resolve of the legislature of Rhode Island, the 

 East India Marine Society of Salem, Massachusetts, a society 

 which has filled a large space in the commercial history of our 

 country, in their memorial, use strong and decisive language, and 

 speak with a practical knowledge, which entitles their views to 

 the most respectful consideration ; "for among them are those who 

 were the first to display our national colours in our commerce to 

 the eastern world ; among them are those who have been engaged 

 in trade on coasts and among islands but little known ; and they 

 have felt, in losses and in painful solicitude, the want of the pro- 

 tection of their government, as well to point out the position of a 

 dangerous reef, as to defend them against the natives, who had 

 seen nothing of our power to restrain them from unlawful attacks 

 upon their vessels or their lives ; among them are those who have 

 visited the islands in the Pacific, as well as those in the east, and 

 have seen and felt the dangers our vessels are exposed to, for the 

 want of such protection as an expedition, fitted out for the express 

 purpose, alone can give." 



They further state, that they will " refrain from going into any 

 computation of the immense amount of tonnage and capital engaged 

 from the United States, in the whale-fishery, all of which is more 

 or less interested in such an expedition. Without attempting to 

 designate the groups of islands most important to be examined, 

 your memorialists would simply call the attention of your honour- 

 able body to one point, which may serve as an index to the rest : 

 the Feejee or Beetee islands. What is known of them ? They 



