TRIBUTES PAID TO COOK'S MEMORY 259 



of France towards the great English sailor. On 

 March loth, 1779, he wrote this letter: 



'*To all captains and commanders of ships 

 armed under Commission of Congress of the 

 United States of America, now at war with 

 Great Britain. 



"Gentlemen, a vessel has been fitted out by 

 England, before the beginning of this war, to 

 discover new countries in unknown seas, under 

 the leadership of the celebrated Captain Cook; 

 and as this enterprise, truly praiseworthy in it- 

 self, may augment geographical knowledge, 

 facilitate communication between distant nations 

 for the exchange of foodstuffs and manufactures, 

 which tend to the improvement of life, and 

 finally, as this enterprise, I say, may expand the 

 progress of all sciences useful to the human race, 

 I strongly desire that those of you who may meet 

 Captain Cook's ship, which is now awaited in 

 European waters, should not regard him as an 

 enemy, and should not permit the material 

 which he carries to be plundered, nor his direct 

 return to England hindered. I depend upon 

 you also to treat Captain Cook and his com- 

 panions with civility and kindness, according to 

 them, as to friends of the human race, all the 

 help within your power. In acting thus, I am 

 sure that you will not only be following the 



