The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-30
The North Pacific surveying Expedition.


We learn that the squadron designed sr this exrt.
dltion, which has been for time past fitting out al
The New York navy-yard will sail upon lis appoint
ed service, being expected to proceed TO Norfolk during
the next week The squadron 10 under the command Of
Commander C. Rnggold and is not has been Supposed
ia any degree attached TO the Japan expedition under d,
command OF Commodore Perry. II originated under
special act OF the last Congress- which appropriated enc
hundred and twenty five thousand dollars "fo the buh
ing purchase OF suitable vessels. and for prosecuting
survey aud reconnaissance for naval and commercial pur
poses, OF such parts OF Behring's straits, Of the Nouh
Pacific ocean. and The China seas irequentsd by
American whaleshps and By trading vessels in their
routes between the United States and China Instead Of
purchasing the vessels, the late administration, as va
learn from The annual report Of Secretary Kennedy, pr
fened to employ "such naval the department
could command. rather than contne il 10 such limited
supply as would have resulted from either building or
purchasing vessels and providing for the other details Of
this service of the fund nrused to the department"
The squadron as organized by the late administration,
consists therefore. of the sloop-oiwar vincenDes bes
the flag ship, the tg Porpoise, the propeller John
Hancock. together with a tender and slore-ship.
The expedition is expected TO examine large portion
Of the Pacific ocean, the Behrns sea. as we'll as the
straits OF tina, name. and further north il practicable.
together with The adjacent coasts OF America and Ass,
with view to promote the whaling interests in thofe
little known and now much -frequepted regions. The
between California. Oregon and China. for vesses
trading between those points, will claim large portion of
he time and labor of the squadron. The various groups
OF islands little known, lying in the track Of
sells trading in the North Pacific will be visited ard
surveyed. The Aeu,an islands, which form the south
boundary TO the Behring Kamscha,ka sea- setct
ing nearly across the Pacific ocean; the Kurc islands,
which extend from Japan to Kamtschatka and the sta
of Okhotsk, will be examined the Japan islands and
adjacent seas as well the Gulf of Tartary, will te
part Of The field ef labor, will also the China. Sooeo
and Ceebean seas with the numerous islands. straits
and passages in that neghborhood, impsrfeclly
known though the horoughfare Of the hundreds of our
vessels trading in The Ess. indies
Besides the extensive hydroa raphca operations
tempated, an Efficient scientific corps will accompany the
squadron, aud is intended to allow the gentlemen
posing the corps every facility to prosecute researches in
their respective branches of science, which will in.
terfere with the primary objects OF the expedition,
This is the second surveying expedition upon whatmay
be called large scae which has been sent out by this
government; and from the obecs TO which il is devoted,
as well as from its ample MEANS and the character OF the
officers 10 charge OF IT. much bent fl, to the great com
expected from it's operacns Arrangements have been
made TO send The United States promptly copies Of the
surveys made. and all other useful formation obtained
by the expedition, so that its labors may e made
available to the pubic benefit.