218 siege of the south pole 
of any kind which has reference to the objects and 
proceedings of the Expedition. . . . You will adopt 
the most effective measures to prepare and preserve 
all specimens of natural history that may be col- 
lected, and should any opportunity occur for sending 
home by a vessel of war of the United States copies 
of information or duplicates of specimens . . . 
you will avail yourself of the occasion ... at the 
same time strictly prohibiting all communications ex- 
cept to this Department, from any person attached to 
the Expedition, referring to discoveries, or any circum- 
stances connected with the progress of your enter- 
prise.” 
The services of Lieutenant Hudson as second in 
command of the Expedition were only secured by the 
express declaration on the part of the government that 
the Expedition had no military character so that that 
officer, could without transgressing naval etiquette 
serve under Wilkes, who was his junior. The scien- 
tific staff seems to have been frequently discontented, 
the exclusion of Mr. Reynolds not appearing to have 
secured the harmony that was expected. The cause 
of the discontent was largely due to the fact that the 
civilians were kept entirely in ignorance of the essential 
objects of the expedition. Wilkes himself gives this 
explanation. He scarcely conceals his contempt of civ- 
ilian men of science, and he appears to have seen 
nothing wrong in treating them like common sailors in 
so important a particular. What possible harm could 
result from the plans of a national expedition being 
known to those who took part in it is difficult to imagine ; 
the effect of secrecy should have been easy to foresee. 
A hint as to other troubles which beset the k com- 
