xiv INTRODUCTION. 
dition, is a work of no small difficulty, and this is much increased 
by the public thinking, talking of, and interfering too much with 
it. I felt this myself, although it did not cause me much diffi- 
culty. The successive resignations of the different officers who 
had been appointed to the command, led every body to look upon it 
with disgust, and, in consequence, my road was clear, or comparatively 
unembarrassed. The very state of things that brought the Expedition 
into general disrepute, was of great advantage to me, for I was left 
to perform my duties unmolested. One of the difficulties I had to 
encounter, was to make a selection from the numerous articles pro- 
vided, and this was a work of no ordinary kind. They may have 
been all useful, and perhaps necessary for a larger Squadron ; but if 
all had been embarked, every vessel of the Squadron would have been 
filled. Every expense that could be lavished on its equipment had 
been incurred. One rule of action soon brought me to dispose of the 
whole : this was the capacity to stow them ; and parts of each were 
accordingly selected for the new order of things. 
On the 20th of April, I was informed that the vessels appointed for 
this service were the sloops of war Vincennes and Peacock, the brig 
Porpoise, and store-ship Relief. The tenders Sea-Gull and Flying- 
Fish were subsequently added. 
The Relief was the only one of the vessels that had belonged to the 
original Squadron. 
On this reduction of force, it became necessary to change the 
organization, not only in point of numbers, but also to bring the 
officers into more intimate connexion with the scientific duties. 
This was done by placing all those departments that in any way 
appertained or belonged to our profession under my direction, with 
officers of the navy for assistants. The size and accommodation of 
the vessels naturally led to the reduction of those departments that 
were placed under the corps of civilians, including naturalists as well 
as artists. As many of these were taken as could be accommodated. 
The selection was made with much deliberation, and with great 
impartiality. Reference was had to the departments in which results 
were most to be expected, and most desired by the country. The 
