Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-12-02

/ In the scientific department the same
circumspection is manifested.
Scientific and miscellaneous Libraries, for
the uses of both the officers aud men, have
also been provided and thus the best
means of preserving order and discipline,
and of securing improvement, will constant
ly be at hand.
The means Of collecting information in
natural history have been exceedingly well
cared for, even 10 the most minute partcu-
lar insomuch that complete photographic
apparatus will form part of the implements
supplied.
In the stores of these vessels the same
particular regard is had to all the possible
wants of the Journey.
We understand that this expedition will
probably consume three years in the accom-
plishment offs varied and important work,
and in returning to the Atlantic coast
In this time 1t viii traverse the waters of
many of the hitherto unirequented regions
bordering upon the Pacific ocean. On the
one side are the coasts of California and
Oregon; on the other, the regions of KANT
schaIka aud the Islands of Japan IN the
North, To very high degree of latitude,
the scenes of our adventurous whalers and
in the South, the countless islands of the
ocean, so imperleclly known to the civillz-
ed nations of The earth, yet u~ny of them
inhabtated by human beings, whose condi-
ton challenges our pity, and whose charac
terstics invite the scrutiny of the learned
and the curious.
One of the most remarkable, and TO us
most interesting island groups in the world
is the Sandwich Islands. They form the
natural stopping-place for all the vessels
plying between China or Japan and the
coast of California. They are already the
established resort Of our whale ships, SIX
hundred Of which have already taken har-
Dor there within single year, and not
few of them, with the meagre facilities now
existing, transferring their cargoes at these
ports In the lapse Of but few years more
they viii constitute the great commercial
depot Of many nations Through them will
pass the tldlngs from China that will be
thence received as news in London some
twenty or thirty days later
A present. a sail vessel can make the
voyage from Canton to San Francisco in
lorty-ive days. but it is thought that ocean
steamers, which must necessarily touch at
the Sandwich Islands, viii accomplish it
IN sixteen or even fourteen days. The pas
sage from San Francisco TO Panama now
occupies twelve days. When the railroad
shall be completed, the sixty miles transit
across the lslhmus will be made in three
hours and thence to New York in eight
days. But how long will the lstbmus be
the way or transit from the Pacific to the
Atlantic shoresl Who can tell The
Western States of this Union are neither
lstless nor idle. They are alive TO their
interests aud full of enterprise. They will
soon connect their mercantile cities with
1 the ports Of the Pacific by railroads and tel
egraph wires.
Before many years shall pass, not only
will the Canton news he transmitted by
telegraph from San Francisco to st. Louis,
and thence to the Atlantic coasts, within
sixteen or eighteen days after the occur
renee Of the incidents at Canton, but chests
OF teas and bales of silks, by the same con-
veyance across the ocean, will be there
opened within few brief days thereafter
aud ST. Louis few years ago an unlmpor
tant village amid the wilds of the " est, will
be the city of commerce and divergence
for the choicest products OF the Celestial
Empire. And sixteen days, it is confident
~ predicted by many will be a sufficient
lapse of time TO enable the merchant OF New
York to read the dispatches of his cores
pondents at Canton.
In view of such important probable IA
cIlties of intercourse with China, Japan,
and the great intermediate depot OF trade in
the Sandwich Islands, how important it is
that our national vessels should at once
make our flag familiar object III every in
let to the great Pacific ocean How ne
cessary il Is that enlightened and scientific
mayigators should lead the way through the
May abyrnths of the clustering isles, and
that clear aud accurate charts should be
made of every channel to be ploughed by
the keels Of our ships and ocean steamers
Congress has appropriated for this expe-
dition one hundred aud twenty-five thou
sand dollars large sum to be sure, but
how small when conuasted with the magni-
tude Of the work TO be accomplished