388 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



EFFORTS AND LEGISLATION ON THE SUBJECT. 



The government of the U. States, as well as enterprising indi- 

 viduals having interested themselves in this laudable undertaking, 

 I will give a brief statement of their efforts and the legislation 

 on the subject. 



In December, 1853, the present Secretary of War alluded to 

 this subject in his report, and recommended the same to the con- 

 sideration of Congress; and in March, 1855, an act was passed 

 appropriating " the sum of thirty thousand dollars, to be expended 

 under the direction of the War Department, in the purchase and 

 importation of camels and di-omedaries, to be employed for mili- 

 tary purposes." 



Soon after the passage of this act or appropriation, a govern- 

 ment vessel was despatched to the Mediterranean, having on 

 board Major Wayne, U. S. A., chief of the expedition. 



VOYAGE OF THE UNITED STATES SHIP SUPPLY. 



Tunis, Aug. 18, 1855. 



The United States store ship Supply, Lieut. D. D. Porter, com- 

 manding, reached here on the 4th inst., on her way to the Levant 

 in search of camels. Major Wayne, the chief of the expedition 

 on which the Supply was sent out, was presented to the Bey, with 

 several of the officers. The Major, in behalf of the United States 

 government, offered congratulations to the Bey on his accession 

 to the throne, expressing the desire of the United States for more 

 extended intercourse and closer commercial relations between the 

 two countries, and for a long, happy and prosperous reign for his 

 highness. The Bey reciprocated these friendly sentiments. 



His highness hearing of the Major's desire to purchase on 

 government account a camel in Tunis, sent hmi two of the finest 

 among all he possessed, which were accepted with proper acknow- 

 ledgments in the President's name, &c. I have seen both the 

 camels, the larger being the finest I ever saw; and the other, a 

 younger one, bidding fair to equal his companion in time. 



The Bey is highly interested in the improvement of his people 

 in agriculture, and shows a great desire to acquaint himself tho- 

 roughly with its progress in the United States, which does his 

 true benevolence and enlightenment great credit indeed. 



Constantinople, Oct. 15, 1855. 



The American store ship Supply, commanded by Lieut, comdt. 

 David D. Porter, son of the first minister to Turkey, In her 

 arrived also Major Wayne, of the United States army. You are 



