The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-05-18
NUMBER 81.
THE NORTH PACIFIC SURVEYING
ENnEntrInN

We learn that the squadron designed for this
expedition, which has been for some time pas,
| fitting out a, the New York Navy-yard, will
soon s'il upon its appo med service, it being
expected to proceed to Norfolk during the week :.
| he squadron is under the command of Com.
mandrr &. Ringgold, and is MT, as has been
supposed, in any degree attached To the Japan
expedition under the command of Cnmuiodore
| terry. 1t originntrG under special act Of the
last Congress, wh CHI appropriated one hundred
ana Twenty-Five thousand dollars .fnr the build
ing or purchase ofsui able vessels, and for prose.
cutting survey and reconnaissance, for nava!
and commercial purposes, Of such parts OF
b'-hring straits, Of the China seas, MS are tre-
qnenf"d by American wlialrships and by trading
vessels IN their routes between the United !ntcs
and china. Instead of purcha sing the vessels,
the late administration, as w.. learn from the
annual report of Secretnry Kennedy, preferred
to employ "such naval resources as tile depart
tIent could command, rather than confine it to
such limited supply would have resulted
from either building or purchasing vessels, and
proviting for the other details Of this service
ont OF the fund nIrusted to HE de- oartmen,s"
The squadron, as organz d by the late admin
!sratlon, consists, therefore, OF the sloop of.war
fncennes, being The fay ship, the Porpoise,
The steam-piopeller John Hancock, together
W tn a tender and store ship
The expedition is expected to examine large
portion OF the Pacific OCEAN, Brhring sea, us
well as the straits OF that name and further north
IT practicable, together with the adjacent coasts
OF America and Asia, with n view to prou,ote
The whaling interests in those little known and
much fre4ucnted regions. The route between
California, Oregon, and China, for vessels tra-
ding between those points, will claim a large
portion Of the time and labor for the squad
ron.
hn ..c f:.xl.
known, lying in the track Of vessels trading in
the North Pacific, will be visited and surveyed
The Aleutian islands which form the southern
boundary to the Behrng or kamscha,ka sea,
stretching nearly across the Pacific ocean the
kuriie islands, which extend from Japan to
ka'nscha,ka and the of Okho,sk, will be exam
ined the islands and adjacent seas, as we'll as
the Gulf OF Tartary, will be part Of the field Of
labor, as will also the China, Soolco, and Ccle-
bean, seas, with the numerous islands, straits,
and passages in that neighborhood, now 81 inn
perfectly known, though the thoroughfare of the
hundreds of vessels trading in the East
Indies
Besides the extensive hydrocraphical opera
tions contemplated, an efficient scientific corps
will accompany the squadron, and it is intended
to allow the gentlemen composing the corps
every facility to prosecute researches in their
respective branches of science, which will not
interfere with the primary object of the cxpedi-
ton.
This is the second surveying expedition, upon
what may be called large scale, that has been
sent out by this government; and from the OBJ
jccts to which it is devoted, as well ns from lis
ample means, and the character Of the officers
in charge Of it, much benefit to the great COM
mercial and maritime interests Of cur country
may he expected from lis operations. Arrange
mcn's have been made to send to the United
States promptly copies Of the surveys made,
and all other useful information obtained by the
expedition, 80 that its labors may at once be
made available toAhe public benefit Washing-
ton Cnion.