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The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States from 1838 to 1842. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. Funding for the original expedition was requested by President John Quincy Adams in 1828, however, Congress would not implement funding until eight years later. In May 1836, the oceanic exploration voyage was finally authorized by Congress and created by President Andrew Jackson. The expedition is sometimes called the "''U.S. Ex. Ex.''" for short, or the "''Wilkes Expedition''" in honor of its next appointed commanding officer, United States Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes. The expedition was of major importance to the growth of science in the United States, in particular the then-young field of oceanography. During the event, armed conflict between Pacific islanders and the expedition was common and dozens of natives were killed in action, as well as a few Americans. ==Preparations== In May 1828, the United States Congress, after prodding by President John Quincy Adams, voted to send an expedition around the world with the understanding that the country would derive great benefit. It was to promote commerce and to offer protection to the heavy investment in the whaling and seal hunting industries, chiefly in the Pacific Ocean. Congress also agreed that a ''public ship'' or ships should be used. At the time, the only ships owned by the government capable of such a circumnavigation were those of the navy. So, in fact, Congress had decided that a naval expedition be authorized. The veteran US Sloop-of-war ''Peacock'' (1813) was decommissioned and broken down in 1827 to rebuilt as USS ''Peacock'' (1828), intended as an exploration ship. There were to be many unforeseen impediments and it was not until May 18, 1836, that an act was passed, which authorized funding, and approved by President Andrew Jackson, Adams' political rival. Even with the burden of finance lifted, there were another two years of alteration of formation and command before six oddly assorted ships moved down from Norfolk to Hampton Roads on August 9, 1838. On August 17, after being joined by the tenders ''Sea Gull'' and ''Flying-Fish'' which delivered Lieutenant Wilkes final orders and at 15:00 on 18 August the vessels weighed anchor. Due to light breezes the expedition did not discharge their pilots until 09:00 August 19 when they passed Cape Henry Light. By 11:00 the small fleet was standing to open seas. Originally the expedition was first organized under Commodore Jones, however he subsequently resigned the station. Several more senior officers had either resigned from or indicated their unwillingness to accept command of the expedition. Command was finally vested in Lieutenant Wilkes. The three duties laid down were daunting to officers trained only in fighting ships. In addition to exploration, the naval squadron was tasked with the duties to survey both the newly found areas and survey other areas previously discovered, but about which there was insufficient knowledge. As well, an all-civilian scientific corps was to be included as an additional command responsibility. There were few officers in the American navy at that time with any surveying experience and none with a background of working alongside scientists. The United States Coast Survey, where most of the surveyors were employed and learned their trade, was a civilian organization. Wilkes, who had largely trained himself in surveying work, cut the excessively large number of scientists down to nine. He then reserved for himself, and other naval officers, some of the scientific duties, including all those connected with surveying and cartography. Personnel included naturalists, botanists, a mineralogist, taxidermists and a philologist, and was carried by the sloops-of-war , of 780 tons, and of 650 tons, the brig , of 230 tons, the full-rigged ship ''Relief'', which served as a store-ship, and two schooners, ''Sea Gull'', of 110 tons and of 96 tons which served as tenders. Coincidentally, Commodore George C. Read in command of the East India Squadron aboard the flagship frigate USS ''Columbia'', together with the frigate USS ''John Adams'', were at the time in the process of circumnavigating the globe when the ships paused for the second Sumatran punitive expedition, which required no detour. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「United States Exploring Expedition」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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