118 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
ARCTIC RELIEF. 
The following instructions to the commander of the Revenue Cutter Corwin, 
explain themselves : 
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, 
WasHINGTON, D. C., May 15, 1880. 
Captain C. L. Hooper, Commanding Revenue Steamer Corwin, San Francisco, 
Gall: 
Str—The department having determined to dispatch the revenue steamer 
Corwin, under your command, to cruise in the waters of Alaska for the enforce- 
ment of the provisions of law and protection of the interests of the government 
on the seal islands and sea otter hunting grounds and of Alaska generally, you 
are directed to take on board that vessel, without delay, supplies of provisions 
for a six months’ cruise and sufficient quantities of fuel and water and leave San 
Francisco with your command not later than the 22d inst., for the waters named 
and make the best of your way to the places hereinafter designated. 
It is desirable that you should be in Behring Sea and the Arctic Ocean as 
early in the season as the opening of navigation will permit. You will accord- 
ingly proceed from San Francisco direct to Ounalaska, and on arrival there will 
take in a fresh supply of coal. From this point you will proceed to Norton 
Sound, touching at the seal islands on your way. You will leave an officer and 
two men on Otter Island for the purpose of protecting the seals there, unless 
you should deem it necessary to take all your command with you in your further 
cruise to the northward. 
It is expected that you will time the movements of your vessel so as to ar- 
rive in Norton Sound before Behring Strait is open for the passage of vessels, 
and that you will avail yourself of the first opportunity to push into the Arctic 
Ocean. Arrangements have been made by which the Alaska Commercial Com- 
pany will place about fifty tons of coal at a convenient point on this sound, from 
which you may replenish your supply, if found necessary, at any time during the 
season. 
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 
By reference to the report of Captain George W. Bailey, United States Rev- 
enue Marine, who commanded the revenue steamer Rush, in her cruise last year 
in Alaska waters, you will observe that Kotzebue Sound, in the Arctic Ocean, 
_ is reported as the rendezvous of a number of vessels engaged in illicit traffic with 
the natives of Alaska in rum and fire-arms. You will use your utmost endeavor 
to apprehend any such vessels as you may find thus engaged and break up their 
illegal trade. 
It has been reported that two whaling barks, the Mount Wollaston and Vigi- 
lant, were probably caught in the ice within the Arctic Ocean last Autumn while 
endeavoring to return through Behring Strait from their season’s whaling, and 
fears are entertained for their safety. You will make diligent search for said ves- 
sels, and should you fall in with either of them or with any of their officers or 
