Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-10-12

| The FRENCH ExpLoR1NG Exprp1
TIoN.-As the Asttrolabe and Zelee, com
posing this squadron, have sailed under the ir
e"nmandant NJ. D'Urrille, and ours is :
bout leaving New York for the same desti-
nation south, We give a few evidences of the
I intere'f taken in the same in ths Paris AGA.
denny oil Sciences, 10 which learned body tho
government applied Tor scientific in,lruc-
iions. Among those " no spoke On the &C.
cas:oh were The iiiustrious names of Balm
vile, Mirbel, Freycinei, who himselfmade
celebrated voyage) and Arape. The ex
petition was desired TO look particularly 10
Inc botany oil Patagonia, Terra del Fuego
New GuInea, New Zealand, New Holland,
and The Sandwich Islands, from which latter
hothInS had YET been received but some mis-
cradle aquatic plants. o. Mr. Mirbel ex-
piaihed how to preserve seeds and plants.
rlants are placed in layers, or vertically in
boxes of3 or feet long. They are covered
compactly with wet mud afterwardi the
boxes are herme;ically sealed Plants thus
come voyage Of five or six months from
no 10 81. Petersburg, and from Calcutta TO
faris and London, without the slightest al
teration. NJ. Blainville recommended marine
microscopic animals 10 be gathered by a
gauze network drag behind the stern, es.
pecI"IIy al night. The flaming nautilus, the
argonaui, and other mOliuSgues required TO
be better understood. The hands of the ce-
taceous and seal tribes should be preserved
The organization vi the Bird of Paradise is
still imperfecuy known, and entire lndiyid-
uais should be preserved in spirits OF wine
All The curious animals OF New Holland
should be carefully studied o. He recon.
inehds the contents of the stomach, as soon
as The animal is caught, to be carefully exam.
ined-(as illustrative ofits habits and locals
DrUDghlV y he
directions, as drawn up by Arago for The
Bon'fe, are highly recommended 10 be adopt.
ed by this expedition So far as their rescar-
ches extend into thatdepartment NJ Frey-
Clnel made seme general Recommendations a.
10 The descriptions 10 be made of The country
visited, It's coast resources, customs, sc.
M Arago attached great importance to the
instruments aud apparatus that the ships
should be provided with To- project them from
accident. He also made suggestions. reIa-
1--WE 10 The influence upon The compass of The
iron that entered into The construction ofihe
shiIs' which was greater in higher ATTITUDES
ana extremely variable, and modified by The
oTtentdt1on &. o. the easling) Of the vessel
even when inclined 10 north or south in The
same spot. Thus Capt. Parry found the va
ration IN the Thames 10, in Bafin's Bav
~ one side, or the other, according 10 the
point The vessel was directed upon. There
may be thus an error of4Oo in the route. M.
A'ago asks can any means he found to neu.
iralize The influence of The iron used in The
construction of the ship? lie suggests as a
remedy plate Of iron disposed around The
compass 10 diminish the influence in question.
This apparatus is by NJ. Barrett, and il is res
commended by NJ. AragS that il be verified
at some middle point of the voyage, where
the variation is at maximum. Great dan
gers may thus be avoided. NJ Double re-
quested that The expedition would look espe
cI"IIy to The prevailing diseases and the pop,
ular treatment.