New-York tribune., 1877-08-11
A GREAT SCIENTIFIC VOYAGE
PLAN OF THE WOODRUFF EXPEDITION.

PLAN OF THE WOODRUFF EXPEDITION.
a STUDY FOR TWO YEARS or THE NATURAL PEA.
TURgs, ARCHITECTURE, AND INSTITUTIONS Or
DISTANT LANDs-THE ROUTE SELECTED.
To the EdtfOr or The TrfbUHe.
SIR One OF the interesting events Of the dayis tho
Woodruff Expedition round the world now fitting
out in New-York and announced to sail in October.
Mr.. Woodruff, the originator of the expedition. s a
member Of the Woodruff family Of Auburn. y. Y He
Is a young man-seyeral years under forty-and il
an enthusiast in his great educational enterprise
For years The plan has been forming itself in his
mind Conferences with scientific men and men OF
affairs have modified and extended it, till il has taken
its present proportions. Mr.. Woodruff came out Of
the war an invalid Fatigue and exposure seemed
permanently to have injured his constitution. lie
was ordered TO Florida, and for years mis- Win
fcrs were spent there. He purchased plan.
tation bnilt a house, o church. school house and
established a settlement fil of Northern thrift and
enterprise. There he was slowly nurscd back %
health and vigoF and there under tha orange trees
sitting as IL were at the threshold Of the tropics the
thought Of this journey round the world, this peep at
the wonders and spendOr OF southern lands and seas
came 10 him. The first plan was to take small
sailing vessel and a few scientific men, but With the
thought of the good that might be accomplished by
the voyage, the plan enlarged, till it has taken
improved by careful thought and consideration. by
counsel AMI advice, til now it offers young man
noble. manly training. It viii give an education in
lis fruest SENSE encourage self-reliance and give
vigor OF mind and body 49, well as a thorough Intel.
lectual training.
The steamship Ontario is being fitted mp
for the voyage. She is stanch 9ud well
built. and IS large enough TO be thorough
" comfortable, even in tropical countries
She is 800 feet long, and 80 feet beam, has fow
decks, and can accommodate 400 students With
siste-rooms The students will be under the direc-
ton aud instruction Of professors selected from tho
leading colleges, each noted specialist IN his own
department Of teaching. Frofs. Wilder, Schaiter,
Jenney TAYLOR, Herdman, Ives, kidder, Philip Cor
win Reed and Russell are among the faculty. and
other distinguished scientists viii be- added before
the expedition sails The ship is Differed from the
navy. Men who are familiar with the route, and
have seen much service, have been selected. 10
these officers the safety of the expedition NAV be
trusted with entire confidence. Commander Philip.
who has seen much service in the Pacific has been
detached from the Adams to take command of the
Ontario. The expedition is encouraged and endorsed
bv snch men as Profs Henry, Baird, Asa Gray. New
berry and Cox by Presidents Angel. Russell, Porter
and Anderson. Ii also has the support 0i President
Haves the Secretary Of state and the SECRETARY OK
the Navy and will have their protection and assist
auoe in foreign countries.
The route Of the expedition Is very interesting
one. The ship will sail from New-York direct To y.
Thomas and the Barbados. Thence she VIII go 70
the island OF Aaraio at the mouth ofthe Amazon, -
Pho. Monteyideo aud through the Straits OF Aagel-
Ian 10 Valparaiso, to the Society, Nayieatcrs anu
Feeiec Islands, Australia Fomosa, Nagasaki. foho-
hanna and Je do in Japan; tne Yellow Sea and the
mouth Of the river PelhO in China, whence eAcnI-
sions will be made 10 Pekn and the grand Chinese
" ALI. The vessel viii then proceed to Hong Kong
aud Canton, Manila CelebeS Boneo. Java, SIh-'-
pore Cacultl, Ceylon Bombay, the head Oh lhe
persian Gnlf. whence those who wish may visit the
ruins OF Babylon and Nineyeh The next point VIII
be Alden on the Straits OF Babel Mandcb, and thence
through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to Alexandria
From This point Caro- and the Nile. As far rs tho
ir,t cataract. VIII be visited. From Alexandria TIC
vessel vii, go 70 Jafa, the port of Jerusalem TO
ATHENS. Nvcoun. various ports IN Italy, Spain and
PORTUGAL. From Portugal it will 90 10 Chcrbourg
and Plymouth, and from PlymOuh by way OF the
Azorrs - Nev-York Many islands on the rouie
Aavo been little visited and explored and the object
If the expedition will lie 10 make explorations ana
examinations, 10 do valuable scientific work and to
,aai,o rare and valuable collections. This ROME
opens TO scientific men very wd1 and rch heIo'
IL also offers great advantages Tor the STUDY II
arrhiiecte: for the buildings and runs of the world
yIubethc textbook. The artist can study hlsspoca.-
* and the Young man who looks forward to a Onsl-
mesa lie nav survey intclligenty the markets, mines
md manufactures OF the world, and enter Oh hs
bu,ine.s more understandiDgy on MS return. Tho
stuJy and training Of this voyage, which VIII MI
TWO year, with rich aud valuable experiences may
well take the place. with ITS study ana exp orHiloh
of rvo wears OF q college course or IT VIII be very
valuable as 2 post graduate course OF study. Ihe
expedi;ion without doubt will find carptH anu
0oubtrrs in il, way; but doubt is "a vanishing p'int
and disappears before a fact. remember a friend
saving 10 me once. Il can believe that Pocahonta'
never lived but 1 never viii believe
that she did not Capt. smith. 20 "I
the Woodruff Expedition, whatever one may
think of the plan and its success, there
,.,, he no doubt that the Ontario viii sail with her
students and professors in October, on her round
fhe-wo,ld voyage. The expense OF the two yeit'
,oyaoe IS only ~ 800, and the payments are male
a, easy rs those for any college course Gen. M4caa-
ley the Secretary OF the Expedition, j, now Do tfc
civ MI Woodruff is also here at the sc. Nicholas
Hotel and Commander Philip. L. : y, Is having
the shin thoroughly 0yerhaued and pat IN Nra-
going order I do not remember that so fine an
opportunity tor travel and study has ever before
been offered to the young men of the country ana
t,,., ,bo,. viii nike a.lyautggc OF it, !. LIB.
Neic- York, Angus; .. 1877.