PROBABLE SAFETY OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN AND HIS EXPEDITION.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 400, 13 February 1850, Page 3

PROBABLE SAFETY OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN AND HIS EXPEDITION.

It has for a considerable time past seemed — even to sanguine persons — so much a " hoping against hope" to anticipate such intelligence as this heading indicates, that we should not wonder if some were to lead it with the proverbial incredulity with which news thought "too good to be true" is regarded. We rejoice to say, however, that there was sufficient foundation for it to induce the Secretary of the Admiralty, in an offi cial, and therefore,

of course, a cautiously worded communication to the public, to express his hope that the statement that Sir John Franklin's ships were s^en by the natives, so lately as March last, beset by the ice, in Prince Regent's Inlet, is not without foundation." "We could easily abridge the following accounts ; but we are sure we shall gratify our readers more by giving at full length the whole of what has reached us on a subject which makes such deep and peculiar demands on the sympathies of all who rightly appreciate the interests of science, the honour due to noble enterprise, and even the claims of common humanity. It will be seen that the evidence on which the hope rests — although obviously not so complete or conclusive as might be desired — is yet adequate to < give present support to an expectation which multitudes will anxiously long to see confirmed and realized. i From Belt's Weekly Messenger, Oct. 6. ! The following gratifying letter, which has just been received at the Admiraityi renders unnecessary the pub* lication of the partial and incomplete accounts which have been given by the daily papers :— Hull, October 4, 1849. " Sir.-— I had the satisfaction of making a short communication this morning by telegraph, relative to Sir John Franklin's expedition. I have now to forward for the inspection of their lordihips the Admiralty chart of Baffin's Bay, &c, which Captain Parker, of the True-love, has put into my hands, together with his remarks, which will, perhaps, convey better information than any lengthened detail of mine, and a rough sketch maile by an Esquimaux, given to Captain Kerr, of the Chieftain, who handed*- it over to Parker. " It appears that the Chieftain and other ships got to Pond's Bay a day or two before the True-love ; imme* diateJy they reached* that place, some of the natives went on board, and without questioning, the man drew the sketch, and by signs and in words of his own language, understood by the masters of the wlialerg, itated that two of the ships had been frozen up fur four years on the west side of Prince Regent's Inlet, and that the other two had been frozen up on the east side for one year— that the two ships which had been there had tried to get beyond Cape Rennell, but not being able, had come into Piince Regent's Inlet to winter, where the ice had not broken up since—that he and his companions had been on board all the four ships in March last, and they were then all safe. After receiving this account from the master of the Chieftain, Mr. Parker turned his attention to the endeavour to reach Prince Regent's Inlet, or at any rate to examine Lancaster's Sound, for the purpose of giving such information as might be obtainable of the state of the country, &c, and of using his utmost efforts to carry out the instructions of their lordships. He accordingly left his fishing ground off Scott's Bay, and proceeded north on the 22nd July, on the passage to Lancaster's Sount', and having met with the Advice of Dundee, Captain Penny (with whom he was on friendly terms), agreed to accompany him. At that time both the ships were well fished, the True-love having 145 tuns of oil on board, and the Advice 140 tuns ; but the masters judged (and rightly too) that although the risk was great with such valuable cargoes on board, they would be disgraced if the attempt were not made to render all the assistance which they were capable of doing. 4 ' On the sth of August, they got as far Croker's Bay, where they were stopped by a tolid body of ice, stretching across the straits to Admiralty Inlet ; and no water being visible to the westward, they were compelled to return, coming close in with the edge of the ice, and on the Bth ol August, Mr. Parker landed a cask of preBerved meat* and 30 bags of coals (which had been sent on board by Lady Franklin) upon Cape Hay, deposi'ed the letters and cylinders, &c, according to the instructions of their lordships, and having erected a high pole to attract the attention of the ships or boats which might pass at a future time, they made the best of thtir way back to the fishing ground, which they reached on the 17th of August. " I trust their lordships will consider that this attempt to reach the expeditions may be worthy of favourable consideration, and be disposed to recommend some compensation for the risk run and the loss of time occasioned thereby ; but this is a point which the present is not a fitting time to urge, and I mertly allude to it, lest it might be imagined that any futuie application was an after thought not worthy of notice. 11 The innumerable interruptions arising from the anxious inquiiies of the public generally, on the subject which so long had interested them, must be my apologies for any eriors or omissions which I may have made; and all that I should venture to add is the expressions of my earnest hope.*, that this information, however imperfect, may ultimately lead to the adoption of such steps as may extricate thoie brave men from a state of danger and difficulty. " If their lordships wuh for further information or to submit specific questions, my humble endeavours shall be used to obtain correct answers ; and if they would prefer that Mr. Parker should attend in London, be is ready tudo so, on receiving orders to that effect.— l am respectfully, air, your moat obedient servant, " Thos. Ward, " Owner of the True love." •'No trace was seen of the Investigator's launch, j neither did there appear to be any reason to doubt the correctness of the statement made by the Esquimaux, that the upper part of Lancaster's Sound was a solid mass of ice. j " On the Bih of August, which was a cleir day, Mr. I Parker landed ou hi^h ground at Cape Hiy, with his telescope, to see if anything could be discovered of the North Star, but no ship of any description was vis.ble in Lancaster's Sound, except the Advice. " Captain Hamilton, R. N., Admiralty, London." We have been favoured with the following copy of a letter from the commander of H, M. Ship North Star, which, from her position, will account for this vesgel not being teeu by the True-love. " TQ THE SECRETARY OF THE ADMIRALTY. " H. M. S. North Siar, July 19, 1849, fat. 74 3 N., long. 50 40 W. "Sir —1 addressed a letter to their lordships on the 18th ultimo, when in lat. 73 30 N., and long. 56 53 W., detailing the particulars of my proceedings up to that date, which was sent by a bont from the Lady Jane whaler, which vessel was wrecked, and whose boats were proceeding to the Danish settlements, Since then, I regret to state, our progress h is been almost entirely stopped, owing to tl c ice being so placed across Melville Bay, as to render it perfectly impassable. " On the 6th instant, finding it impossible to muke any progress, I deemed it advisable to run us far south as 72 deg., examined the pack as we went along. At 72 deg., 22 min<, the pack appeared slacker and we entered it, and after proceeding übout 12 miles, found ourselves completely stopped by large flakes of ice. We accordingly put back, and steered again for the , northward, Having this day reached the latitude of

74 3 N., and Jong. 59 40 W , tlie ice appeared more open, and we stood in towardi the land, whm we observed two boats approaching, nnd which aftei wards, on coming alongside, vre found to belong to the Prince of Wales whaler, which was nipped by the ice on tho 12th instant, in Melville Bay. Ey the captain of the Prince ofFVuhs I farwarded lhis letter to their lordships, he intending to proceed in his boats to the Danish settlement.— l have the honour, &c. " J Saukdehs, Master and Commander. '' P.S. Crew all well on board.

We are indebted to the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette of last night, for the following further interesting details; — '' To the Editor of the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette. " Pilot Office, Hull, Oct. 4. " I have no small gratification in being able to forward what I believe to be nn authentic account of Captain Franklin and his companions. The Tiue-love, Paiker. arrived here last night from Pavis'i Straits, bringing a plan which Captain Ken, of ihe Superior, received from an Esquimaux, dcscubing the ships under Franklin to be beset on the norib. side of Barrow's Straits, and Sir J. Rosi'a ships on the south side ; he also states that on the 30th March, this year, he (the native) was on board Franklin's ships, and thai a daily communication was maintained between ihe respectiv« commanders. The plan is diawn by lead pencilt and is a very creditable production. Thomas Ward, Esq., the owner of the Tiuc love will by this mail forward the pan and other information to the Lo-d<s of the Admiralty, to whom he lias also forwarded a telegraphic communication. Sincerely hoping and believing: that this information is based oa a Bound foundation, — I am, sir, your's obediently, " Daie Brown." The communication referred to by Mr. Brown is that which we have above g.ven. Pond's Bay, situate on the west side of Bnffiu'j Bay, where the vhale ship received the intelligence from the Esquimaux, appears to be as the rvow flies about 260 miles or thereabouts, from the coast of Prince Regent's Inlet. I'iom this point, therefore, early next summer, witli the cs&'iit nee of the natives, a communication might be probnbly made overlund, with the gallant fellows, and perhaps the crews of the ships might be extricated by that means. As the Priuce Rpgent'a Inle is not above 40 or 50 miles wide fmm the east shore to the west, it is probable that Sir James Ross and Sir John Franklin have been able to communicate with each other. Of course government will send provisions, &c, out early in the spring, whether the present intelligence is corroborated or no l -, but we are in hopes that tome other whnle ship any also biing home some further news this year.

•'The great and absorbing event in the domestic news of the week is the arrival of intelligence which indicates a probability that Sir John Franklin is safe! M*y the good tidings be hue ! We give the details of I thi9 most gratifying information in another column, It hsi no connection with the sealed case or cylinder which was brought by ttic captain of a vessel that had been, wrecked in Davis's Straits. The cylinder only contained news to the 30th June, 1845. It is, ho never, a remarkable coincidence, that scarcely had the opening of this sealed despatch disappointed the Admiralty and the public when the Hull intelligence arrived, producing a sudden alteration from the very depths of despair to an almost certain hope." The Glasgow Reformer's Gazette continues :— SAFETY OF SIR JOHN FRANKuIN. Hull, Oct. 4.— Tin ship True-love, of this port, from Davis's Straits, brings the following intelligence :— " Sir John Franklin 'and Sir James Ross's bhips are frozen in Prince Regent's Inlet, and believed to be safe. Thia intelligence was given by the natives to the captain of the ship Chieftain in July last, at Pond's Bay, who transferred it to Captain Parker. The natives stated they were on board Sir John Franklin's ship m March last, when they were all safe. On the receipt of this intelligence, Captain Parker left the fishing ground on the 22nd of July, with the intention of endeavouring to get to Prince Regent's Inlet, and penetrated as far as Crocker's Bay in Lancaster Sound, but fimnd a solid body of ice stretching across from Crocker's Bay to Admiralty Inlet, and was compelled to retrace his steps. (From the Sun.) The public will be gratified to learn from the following official communication from tlie Admiralty, that there is at last lome glimmeiiug of hope as to the adventurous leaders of the Arctic Expedition. And, al« though the intelligence brought to England by the True-love is unfortunately veiy i<\\ fiom bnn% conclusive, we do not hesitate to offer our cordial felicitations to Lady Franklin, and to all those whose relatives departed to the Poiar Seas under her distinguished husband, at the gleam of news which has at length broken through the hitherto impeivious haze of uncertainty. Without fur her preamble, we gl.'dfy lay before our readers the accounts this day transmitted lo ourselves by the Secretary of the Admiralty :— "Admiralty, Oc». 4, 1849. " The Secretary of the Admiralty presents his compliments to the editor of the Sun, and requests the prominent iniertiou oJ the enclosed notice in this even, ing's paper :— • "From the communications nude this day to the Loids of the Admiralty by the editor of the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette, evening newspaper, some hopes are entertained that the news hi ought by Capt. Parker of the True-love, arrived at Hull, from Davis'a Siraits, of Sir John Fidnklin'a ships having been seen by the native?, ai late as March last, beset in the ice, in Piiuce Regent's Inlet, is not without foundation. " From the same source reports luve been icceivsd that Sir James Ross's ships are in the south of Prince, Regent's Inlet, and that the vessels of both exueJitioas are safe. " This liopu is somewhat strengthened by the lelagraphic message to the Admiralty, since rece.ved from ihe Mayor of Hull wkers the True-love anived hst night."

Houses tor California. — The construction of iron houses, intenli<l fji California, is being actively earned on at Couillet ; four have already been forwarded to their destination, ten othe s must be at Antwerp prior to the 15th instant. They resemble cnttageß. They are arranged iortwo or tbres famalies, with two rooms in each. All ihe different parts are numbered, and are put together by a nut and pin. The roofing is composed of zinc tiles. We have no daubt that this article of exportation will furnish another branch to the metallurgic trade, iiiui a ftiither means of employment, but it may neveilbeless require to be turned to account by the assistance of the Govenmient. For instance, we can see no reason, to commence with, why Government should not cause all the small cottages for the accommodation of the police, which line the railways, to be built of iron. Brsides the ineiifc of beinj in perfect harmony with the railway, tl c adoption of this mode of construction would hive that of greater economy. Nothing wem'd be more niaiple than to vary the style of these little houses, so th it they woule present a permanent exhibition of rnccUll of. uon architecture,— Journal <h Charkroi,