| Sir, | Legation of Denmark, Nov. 11th, 1856. |
I have great pleasure in informing you, by order of my Government, that His Majesty the King of Denmark, being desirous of testifying his high sense of the eminent services you have rendered to science by your important and comprehensive researches with reference to the physical geography of the sea, its winds and currents, recorded in the valuable publications of the National Observatory under your superintendence. His Majesty has been pleased to confer on you the Cross of a Knight of the Dannebrog. I shall have the honour to transmit to you the insignia of the Order as soon as received by the Legation here. I shall have the honour to be, with high consideration, sir,
Torbin Bille.
| Sir, | U. S. National Observatory, Nov. 14th, 1856. |
Your letter of the 11th inst. has been received and read with a high degree of satisfaction. In it you have the kindness to inform me that His Majesty the King of Denmark, to testify his high appreciation of the services rendered by myself in the cause of science, has signified his wish to confer upon me the Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog. I consider myself fortunate, so to have wrought in my humble office that my labours in the service of my own country should have commended themselves to the favourable consideration of His Majesty; and I feel myself highly honoured that he should deem them worthy of such a signal mark of royal favour.
The organic laws of my country, however, will not allow one of its officers to accept a title from any foreign potentate. Permit me, therefore, to plead this in excuse of the request that you will proceed no further in carrying out the honourable and friendly intentions expressed in your letter.
| I have the honour to be your obedient servant, |
| M. F. Maury. |
| To Mr. Tobin Bille. |
| Count, | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Paris, Nov. 6th, 1858. |
The Government of the Emperor has been struck with the great services every day rendered to navigators of all countries by the remarkable works of which Lieut. Maury, of
