Printed by Roger C. Weightman. Printed by the order of the United States Senate. Samuel Otis, Secretary of the Senate, states that Jones' list of officers and midshipmen was printed for the use of the Senate following the motion of Jeremiah Mason, Senator from New Hampshire.

From the Preface--Established in 1800 with a small collection of books that served the Secretary of the Navy, the [Navy Department Library] holds the most comprehensive collection of U.S. navy literature. For the past two hundred years, it has collected the books, documents, journals, and manuscripts the record the Navy's achievement in combat, international diplomacy, exploration, technological development, medicine, education, and social reform. This literature described in the catalog chronicles the more significant events, customs and traditions, organizations, and personalities in navel history, providing insight into the origins and development of Navy doctrine.