LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 415 



mate, twelve millions of active capital are involved in one branch 

 of the whale-fishery, and there are employed in the whole busi- 

 ness, directly and indirectly, not less than sixty millions of prop- 

 erty, twelve thousand seamen, and from one hundred and sixty to 

 one hundred and seventy thousand tons of shipping. The annual 

 income to the United States from this source is between five and 

 six millions of dollars. It is to the protection and safety of this 

 important interest that the expedition has a direct reference, as 

 has been again and again stated in memorials to Congress. The 

 whaling business is chiefly carried on in seas more remote and 

 less accurately known than any other regions visited by our ves- 

 sels. Hundreds upon hundreds of islands and reefs existing there 

 have no place or name on our latest and most approved charts. 

 For instance, there are from one hundred and fifty to two hundred 

 islands in the Fiji group alone, not one of which can be found, 

 with sailing instructions, on any map or chart hitherto published. 

 With this group we have had no inconsiderable trade in native pro- 

 ductions suitable to the Chinese market ; and the amount of prop- 

 erty lost there from the want of a more perfect knowledge of the 

 locality of the islands would pay a goodly portion of the expen- 

 ses of the expedition. More than one hundred mariners, American 

 seamen, have been shipwrecked, and a large majority of them 

 sacrificed to the murderous cruelty of the natives at the Fiji Islands 

 alone, while we have never endeavoured to overawe the savages 

 by any demonstration of our power, or tried to conciliate them by 

 kindness. 



Let us suppose, for a moment, that the exploring squadron has 

 arrived at New-Zealand ; perhaps the best point from which to 

 commence its operations, either north or south. Stretching to the 

 northward, the Fijis would command immediate attention. How 

 could the present force be employed in that archipelago ? The 

 frigate would not be engaged in sounding among the coral reefs ; 

 she might take her station in succession at the principal islands, 

 and with her boats and launch, to the latter of which has been af- 

 fixed a compact, well-made engine, of five horse power, provided 

 by the prudential forecast of Commodore Jones, might survey the 

 principal harbours of the largest island, and of all others within 

 twenty or thirty miles, while the minor vessels would be de- 

 Bpatched on more distant surveys to the other portions of the 



