THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 637, 22 May 1852, Page 3

THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION.

REPORT OF THE ARCTIC COMMITTEE. The Report of the Committee appointed by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to inquire into and report on the recent Arctic expeditions in search of Sir John Franklin, together with minutes of evidence taken before the Committee, and papers connected with the subject, bearing date November 20th, has just been published. The first six paragraphs of the Report are devoted to the question at issue between Captain Austin and Captain Permy — viz., whether the latter gave Captain Austin such an account'of Wellington Strait and the channels above it, as made his return borne withont exploring the Strait unjustifiable. The Committee, after a careful examination of evidence, are of opinion that— " Captain Austin, having been assured by him (Captain Penny) that the open water found above Wellington Strait was (to use his own expression), from ' the fearful rate at which the tide runs (not less than six knots) through the sounds that divide the channel, dangerous even for a boat, much more to a ship, unless clear of ice, which, from its present appearance would not be so that season/ itnpiacticable for navigation at that time, and the r 'lores and islands on both sides had been thoroughly examined by the exploring parties, without any traces of the misssing ships being discoverable, would not have been justified in commencing a fresh search in a direction concerning which he naturally considered himself to have received such authentic information." In the 7th paragraph the Report of the Committee says— "We think that considerable benefit might have arisen, especially with reference to the future operations in Wellington Strait, if one of the expeditions had remained near the entrance about a fortnight longer, in order to obtain the latest information of the state of the ice in that direction, and therefore the probable practicability of the navigation of this strait, and we think this might have been accomplished by Mr. Penny, without involving any serious risk of being detained during the winter; but we are clearly of opinion that, as no certain traces of Sir John Franklin's ships had been met with in any direction beyond their wintering place at Beechey Islands, in 1845-6, and no record of the route intended to be pursued by them could be discovered, after the most diligent and repeated search (thus leaving the question a mere matter of conjecture) both Captain Austin and Mr. Penny were fully justified by the tenor of their Lordships' instructions in not risking their detention in the ice during another winter; and we beg to add that all the most experienced Arctic officers in both expeditions, appear to have unanimously occurred in opinion as to the expediency of returning to England." The Committee pronounce the highest approval of the zeal, energy, intrepidity, and perseverance which ■eem to have animated every individual in the two expeditions. " They appear (says the Report) to have been animated by a common feeling of determination to endure every hardship, and brave every dangpr, in their endeavours to obtain some traces of their missing countrymen. The journeys accomplished under the most difficult and trying circumstances, far exceed, both in distance and duration, any to be found in the previous records of Arctic exploration in those parallels of

latitude; and the arrangements made by Captai Austin, and Mr. Penny were so well consideied an so complete that all their partips returned (with onl one exception) in perfect health and without bavin: experienced any sufferings beyond those which wer inseparable from severe fatigue in such inclement re gions." With regard to the results of the late expeditions, a regards the search for the missing ships, the Committe are strongly of opinion, from the reports of the variou officers, that Sir John Franklin must have passei through Wellington Strait — to which it is well knovvi he had often looked. Taking all the circumstances mt account, the Committee recommended a further seaic in that duection. But this part of the Report we raus give in. full :— " It is not without considerable hesitation and anxiet; that we proceed to reply to the last point on whicl their Lordships request our opinions, namely, ' wha benefits can be expected from any further research with the moans and directions in which the Cora mittee are of opinion that such search should be prose cuted.' " We should deeply grieve at being considered capa ble of treating with coldness or indifference the natu rai and praiseworthy feelings of those who are stil without certain information of the fate of their neares md dearest relatives, who in this state naturally chn< to hope ' even against hope/ and whose thoughts (a: might be expected) turn eagerly towards further explorations, in any and every diiection ; but we hav< felt, at the same time, while consideiing calmly anc jarefully this difficult question, that we have an equally important duty to perform towards those brave anci nentorious men whose lives must be risked in this arJuous and perilous search, and to reflect in what manler it may be best conducted with a due regard to than safety. "Taking, therefore, all these circumstances into coniideration, we bnve, after a most careful and anxious lehberation. decided on recommending to their Lord ships that an expedition should be despatched next yeai ;o Barrow's Strait, consisting of the same ships which sompoaed Captain Austin's division, namely, two sailing ships and two steamers, with orders to proceed lirect to Beecbey Island, and to consider that barboui — beyond which we think one sailing ship and on< steamer should on no account be taken — as the base o future operations. '• We consider any further explonition in the direc tion of Melville Island or to the south-west of Cap< Walker wholly unnecessary; and we would, therefon propose that all the strength and energy of the expe dition should be directed towards the examination o the upper part of Wellington Strait ; and we are o opinion that, by the adoption of the same careful anc well-consideied arrangements which were attended bj such satisfactory results on the late occasion, this exa mination may be effected without any serious risk o loss or danger. "If, on arriving at the proposed rendezvous early ir August, the barrier of ice at the entrance of the Strai renders an attempt to penetrate it unsafe or irapruden it may, perhaps, still be possible to convey boats 01 runners or sledges, or by any small ' lanes' which maj offer, and launch them into the open water above, anc by ibis means depots of provisions may be advanced t< the mo»t convenient points, and such further informa tion obtained duriug the remainder of the navigabh season as might very much facilitate the operations o :he ensuing spring-. " These operations must, in that case, be commenced is early as possible in the season of 1853, and pushed brvvaid with as much rapidity as is consistent with prulence, it being clearly understood by all the exploring parties that they must return to the depot at Beechey [sland in good time for their embarkation by the middle )f August at latest. Tl>e object in view .would be te jxamine the upper part of Wellington Strait, as fai beyond Mr. Penny's north-western advance as possi> jle ; and if Sir John Franklin did really proceeed in thai jirection, it appears highly improbible that some traces jf his expedition should not be discovered by the exploring parties in their search. "If, on the other hand, Wellington Strait is found 3pen and navigable on the arrival of the expedition in :he summer of 1852, we think one of the sailing ships, with a steamer, might proceed at once to take advantage of this opportunity, if tbe officer commanding mould judge such a measure safe and prudent, and be ;hus placed in winter quarters in a more favourable position for commencing the land search in the spiing ol LSS3, but with the most distinct injunctions not to adrance to such a distance as to endanger their return to he depot, or their communication with it in that year ; md it should be enjoined with equal strictness that in the event of any irreparable disaster to the ships so )roceeding, or if they should be too firmly fixed in the cc to be extricated during the summer of 1853, they ire to be abandoned, and the crews brought down to be depot. " It is, however, proper to provide for one possible :ontingency, namely that of tbe difficulty of travelling it a late season rendering the retreat of the crew to 3eechey Island moie hazardous to their lives than heir remaining by the ships (if thpy are only fi ozen ip) another winter ; and in that case the division at Beechey Island, which will be still amply provided with jrovisions, &c, must remain also until the following rear, but this is, we hope, an improbable supposition, md our confident belief is, that, with the improved iquipmenis and appliances of aU kinds which past exlerience will dictate, such an exploration may be made n the early part of 1853 as to enable the whole expediion to return to England before the close of the navijable season." Adam Beck's story is thus dismissed :— " Although our instructions do not advert to the report of the loss of the missing ships received from an Esquimaux named Adam Beck, and to which Sir John Ross in his evidence still attaches much weight, we beg to state that a paper written by Adam Beck, in the presence of Sir John Ross and Captain Ommanney, md purporting to be the substance of information communicated to him by another Esquimaux, now in England named Erasmus York, on the subject of the loss of the ships and the murder of tbe crews, has, on being translated before us by a Moravian missionary well acquainted with the Esquimaux language, proved not to contain a single word relating to this occurren c, " Adam Beck's subsequent deposition, which was 3ent to Copenhagen for translation, has not yet been returned; but if their Lordships should consider any further inquiry necessary, we would only express an jarnest hope that it may be conducted separately, and lot allowed to interfere with the early arrival of the jroposed expedition to Barrow's Straits." The Committee offer no suggestions with regard :o Behring's Straits expeditions, now out. The Report s signed Wm. Bowles, Rear- Ad- W. E. Parhy, Captain, miral F. W. Beech tV, Captain, Irthuii FANSiiAWE,Rear and Admiral, Georoe Back, Captain.