Preparations for the Voyage.
Approbation of the Plan to fit out an Austrian Man-of-War for a Voyage round the World.—Object of the Expedition.—Appointment of a Scientific Commission.—Preparations.—Fitting out the Frigate Novara at Pola.—Departure for Trieste.—Visit of the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian on board.
In the autumn of 1856, His Majesty the Emperor was graciously pleased to approve of the proposal for a voyage round the world, as projected by his Imperial Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, the head of the Austrian navy, and to commission the sailing frigate Novara for that purpose, a vessel qualified to meet every requisite condition.
The chief object of the Expedition—a circumstance which must not be lost sight of—was to afford the officers and cadets of the ship an opportunity of acquiring that practical acquaintance with naval affairs which, added to the theoretical knowledge previously attained, would render them thoroughly familiar with nautical routine, and thus materially contribute to the further development of the Austrian navy.
This branch of the public service, placed since 1848 on an entirely new basis, has with difficulty worked its way through all those embarrassing circumstances inseparable from the organization of a new system; but the honest zeal and energy of the board appointed, supported by favour from the highest quarters, have succeeded in introducing many improvements, and in increasing by degrees the numerical strength of the men, thereby laying a secure foundation for the rising naval force, the importance of which, at this moment, every reflecting patriot will acknowledge.
The intended Expedition offered, besides the advantages for the service, another not less important for the State, namely, the recognition of the Austrian flag in remote quarters of the globe, to which it had never hitherto penetrated; and by thus opening new channels for the outlet of our natural products and manufactured goods, to promote the industrial, commercial, and maritime interests of the empire.
In order to satisfy the scientific requirements of the age, the illustrious head of the navy issued orders, that the officers on board should in every way assist in the researches to be made, connected with navigation and geography; and was, moreover, pleased to invite the Imperial Academy of Sciences to nominate two members, he himself naming a third, to accompany the Expedition for the purpose of observing and investigating phenomena pertaining to the different branches of physical science, as well as collecting rare specimens and interesting objects of natural history. To this commission were ultimately attached a botanist, a practical zoologist, an artist, and a flower-gardener.
The Academy had, for the guidance of these gentlemen, drawn up instructions which, with a multitude of other papers containing useful hints and interesting queries, received from the Imp. Geographical, Geological, and Medical Societies, as well as from numerous foreign and native scientific men, formed a most valuable collection of materials for the purposes of the Expedition.[4]
[4] Of these instructions, "The physical and geognostical remarks," with which the Nestor of natural science honoured the voyagers of the Novara, being of a more general interest, are published at the end of this volume, together with the facsimile of an autograph letter of Baron von Humboldt to the commander of the Expedition.
Foremost amongst these savans stood Alexander von Humboldt, that illustrious man, who up to the last moment of his existence was alive with youthful enthusiasm for every scientific enterprise. In England great interest in the success of the Expedition was evinced by Sir Roderic Murchison, Sir W. Hooker, Sir Charles Lyell, General Sabine, Admiral Smyth, Admiral Fitzroy, Professor Robert Owen, Professor Philips, Professor Bell, Professor W. A. Ramsay, Professor Goodsir, of Edinburgh, W. J. Hamilton, Esq., Charles Darwin, Esq., L. Horner, Esq., James Yates, Esq., B. Davis, Esq., &c., &c. From the United States of North America, we received most valuable communications from Commander M. F. Maury, National Observatory, Washington, D. C.—Captain Rodgers, and others.