LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 311 



care. The increased extent of the voyages now pursued by the 

 trading and whaling ships into seas but little explored, and in parts 

 of the world before unknown, has increased the cares, the dangers, 

 and losses of our merchants and mariners. Within a few years 

 their cruises have extended from the coasts of Chili and Peru to 

 the Northwest Coast, New-Zealand, and the islands of Japan. 

 This increase of risk has been attended by an increase of loss. 

 Several vessels have been wrecked on islands and reefs not laid 

 down on any chart, and the matter acquires a painful interest from 

 the fact that many ships have gone into those seas, and no soul 

 has survived to tell their fate. They therefore pray that an ex- 

 pedition may be fitted out under the sanction of government to 

 explore and survey the islands and coasts of the Pacific seas, and, 

 as in duty bound, will ever pray," &c. 



This memorial, emanating from an intelligent, hardy, industrious, 

 and enterprising people, was accompanied by many similar peti- 

 tions from other places, all breathing the same spirit, and couched 

 in the like simple yet forcible language. It never occurred to 

 these petitioners that their whaling operations, extending through- 

 out the numerous groups of islands stretching from the western 

 shores of South America to the confines of Asia, could be partic- 

 ularly benefited by surveys " as near the South Pole as can be 

 approached without danger!" The committee on naval affairs 

 had charge of the memorials adverted to. What thought they of 

 the matter ? Seven out of nine of their number were in favour of 

 the expedition. General Ripley, of Maine, made the report on 

 the 25th March, 1828. He began by allusion to the weight of 

 character of the memorialists, and the importance of the opinions 

 they expressed, and concluded in the following words : 



" The dangers to which an immense amount of property is ex- 

 posed, as well as the hazard to human life, for the want of knowl- 

 edge by more accurate surveys of regions to which our commerce 

 is extending, and the probable new sources of wealth which may 

 be opened and secured to us, seem to your committee not only to 

 justify, but to demand the appropriation recommended. They 

 therefore report a bill for that purpose." 



Are the dangers to which this immense amount of property is 

 exposed, and the hazard to human life, here spoken of as existing, 

 in regions " as near as can be approached to the South Pole ?" 



