360 APPENDIX. 



this distinguished navigator, will essentially contribute to the success 

 of an enterprise in which he takes so deep an interest. It being 

 considered highly important, that no journal of this voyage, either 

 partial or complete, should be published, without the authority and 

 under the supervision of the government, at whose expense this 

 Expedition is undertaken, you will, before you reach the waters of 

 the United States, require from every person under your command, 

 the surrender of all journals, memorandums, remarks, writings, draw- 

 ings, sketches, and paintings, as well as all specimens of every kind, 

 collected or prepared during your absence from the United States. 

 After causing correct inventories of these to be made, and signed by 

 two commissioned officers, and by the parties by whom they were 

 collected or prepared, you will cause them to be carefully sealed by 

 the said officers, and reserved for such disposition as the Department 

 may direct. You will adopt the most efficient measures to prepare 

 and preserve all specimens of natural history that may be collected ; 

 and should any opportunity occur for sending them home by a vessel 

 of war of the United States, also copies of information, duplicates of 

 specimens, or any other materials, you may deem important to pre- 

 serve from future accident, you will avail yourself of the occasion; 

 forwarding, as frequently as may be done with safety, details of your 

 voyage, and its most material events ; at the same time strictly pro- 

 hibiting all communications, except to this Department, from any 

 person attached to the Expedition, referring to discoveries, or any 

 circumstances connected with the progress of your enterprise. 



" It is believed that the officers under your command require no 

 special advice or direction from this Department. Bearing in mind, 

 as they no doubt will, that the undertaking in which they are about 

 assisting to accomplish, is one that necessarily attracts the attention 

 of the civilized world, and that the honour and interest of their country 

 are equally involved in its results, it is not for a moment doubted, but 

 that in this, as on all other occasions, they will so conduct themselves 

 as to add to the reputation our navy has so justly acquired at home 

 and abroad. 



" With the best wishes for the success of the Expedition, and the 

 safe return of yourself and your companions, 



"I am, very respectfully, &c, 



(Signed) " Jas. K. Paulding, 



" Secretary of the Navy 



"Navy Department, August 11th, 1838." 



(Signed) Charles Wilkes, 



Commanding Exploring Expedition 



