The Press. — London, England, 1855-12-15 00:00:00

1196 The catalogue of the Upsal Library mentions a Swedish translation of " Toni Jones," published at Westeras, in 1765. It must be very little known,. for it is found neither in Hammarskbld's list of foreign novels translated into Swedish, nor in Lanstnim's. No Danish translation ap pears to exist. A Dutch one, in three volumes, published at Amsterdam, is mentioned in Arrenberg's revision of Abkoude's "Naamregister van Nederduitsche l3oeken," but by some mischance he does not specify the date. The edition is described as the second, and it must of course have been issued before 1773, the date of Arrenberg's pub lication. There is no mention of any Italian translation in the different biographies of Fielding, which I have looked at in various Italian cyclopiedias and biographical dictionaries. The library of the British Museum possesses one in Spanish. It is in four volumes, published at Madrid, in 1196. The translator is Don Ignacio de Ordejon, who informs us in the preface that he took it from the French of M. Laplace. He also gives in the preface a short account of the author, in which we are told, among other things, " That although living in an irreligious country and age, he was much attached to religion, whose interests were always sacred in his eyes." If Mr. Lawrence should continue to write biography, he ought to take more pains to obtain original materials. We had marked various passages for critical remark, but the volume is not of a character to merit detailed comment. As a young man's first literary essay it may be praised ; but in critical litera• ture it is rarely that young men go far. The Last of the Arette Voyages. By Captain Sir Edward Belcher. Two Vols. London : Lovell Reeve. (Second Notic-] Ix one respect Sir Edward Belcher was well fitted for the work he was sentout to perform. The Government were anxious to close the long and expensive series of voyages undertaken in search of Sir John Franklin. Belcher's expe dition was sent out to end the search, to look out for the Enterprise and Investigator, to afford them all practicable aid, and to bring back, if possible, the whole of her Majesty's shit g, or their crews, which might be out in the A .ctic seas. The safety of his crews was particularly enjoined on him. This, conse quently, appeared to him to be by far his most important duty; and finding in his second year that he could take home the whole of the crews engaged in Arctic research, with the exception of the crew of the Enterprise, under Captain Collinson, he did not hesitate to abandon his ships to accomplish this object. He was ordered to advance with one ship and tender up Wellington Channel, and to push forward the other, also with tender, to Melville Island He succeeded in both in stances. He left the Thames with the Assistanoe (Captain Sir E. Belcher) and Pioneer steamer ; the Resolute (Captain Kellett) and Intrepid steamer; together with the North Star Commander Pullen), to carry additional stores, on the 21st of April, 1852. On the l lth of August the whole of the ships safely met at Beechey Island. The island and neighbouring shores were searched in hopes of finding further traces of Franklin's expedition, but none could be discovered. Captain Belcher, however, came to the conclusion, on utterly inconclusive grounds, as we think, that Cape Riley presented the "indelible features of a " catastrophe." He supposes that "some accident " occurred at this point, and that what was supposed to be a washhouse was in reality a house of shelter or hospital. To support his view he can only point to the fragmentary articles found on the spot. He appears to be hasty in forming conclusions, sometimes ou no rational grounds, and reso lute in adhering to them On the 14th of August the ships parted company. Captain Belcher, in the Assistance, with Pioneer, sailed up Wellington Channel in open water. Captain Kellett', in Revlu4e, with Intrepicl, departed for the west; and the North Star, Captain Pullen, was leit as'a depot-ship at Beechey Island. As the ships stood up Wellington Channel they met "no trace of opposition. The clear, " deep blue sky visible to the horizon " was before them, and beyond was the " well-known "water-sky." Queen's Channel was happily passed, but here an icy barrier extended, pre venting further progress. The ships were secured in "a magnificent sound, hemmed in " by two !great islands," named Northumber land Sound, and here, on the 19th of August, liss. THE PRESS. the ships were with unlooked-for rapidity frozen in. Captain Belcher is fond of boasting of his intuitive conclusions ; we will give some specimens presently. On the present occasion he writes : What impressed me with the conviction that the present occurrence was decisive against further motion I cannot conceive, nor did 1 wait to inquire. I had seen enough to instruct me that decision only would enable me to save the remaining part of the season, and, if properly employed, would make a great extent of the northern land, estimated as forty miles distant, British territory. Accordingly, three sledges and one boat were equipped, and Captain Belcher commenced his travelling excursions on the 23rd of August. He returned to his ship on the 7th of September, having probably added to the dominions of the British Crown the extent of territory he named, though he does not esti mate its worth. From this time prepara tions for the winter commenced. Those who are anxious to ascertain the extent of the discoveries made in Wellington Channel must consult some better chart than the one given with these volumes ; but for the resources of enjoyment open to the crews of well-found ships, in an Arctic voyage, Captain Belcher's journal may be advantageously consulted. To only one of his travelling parties is it neces sary to direct attention . On the 10th April (1853) Commander Richards, with six heavily laden sledges, and fifty-seven men, started for Melville Island to communicate with Captain Kellett. Caches were to be formed by the way, and the arrange ments usually adopted on such journeys were observed. In a geographical point of view, the interest of the journey hinged on the route taken—the expedition starting from the posi tion of the Assistance at the top of Penny Strait. Thence, crossing the Strait to the west, it proceeded to the north of the Parry Islands, crossed Byam Martin Strait, and skirted the north coast of Melville Island. Here Com mander Richards fell in with Lieut. Hamilton, who was out on a journey from Captain Kellett's ship, the Resolute, which was safely anchored at Dealy Island, on the south side of Melville Island, a short distance from Winter Harbour. Commander Richards ac cordingly crossed Melville Island, reached the Resolute, and learnt full particulars of the dis covery of Captain M'Clure. That gallant officer had visited Winter Harbour the pre vious year (April, 1852), and had deposited a record of his proceedings and the position of his ship. The achievements of this distinguished seaman are well known. By the discovery of Prince of Wales' Strait, he first established the fact of the existence of a North-West Passage. He passed the winters of 1850-1,1851-2, 1852-3 in the ice, with the loss of but one man. Stopped by the ice in the Bay of Mercy, off the north of Banks' Land, he was not able to move his ship. He was visited by Captain Kellett in the spring of 1853. and was subse quently received with his crew on board the Resolute. With all this welcome information, Com mander Richards came back to his chief. He returned by passing up Byam Martin Channel from the south. He was absent ninety-nine days, having spent fifty-six in the outward journey, three resting at the Resolute, and thirty-five on the return. The expedition was most skilfully and successfully con ducted. It is illustrative of the confused manner in which Captain Belcher's narrative is composed, that, while the return of Commander Richards and some particulars of his journey are given under date of June, 1853 (vol. i.), the ac count is interrupted that reports may be in serted of the success of growing mustard and cress, and of brewing beer on board Captain Belcher's own ship ; and it is not until under date of October (vol. ii., p. 41), that further details are given of the proceedings of Com mander Richards' journey. The Assistance could not be got clear of Wellington Channel in the summer of 1853, though she was advanced almost to its en trance. In the summer of 1853 the Resolute was carried out from: her wintering place at Dealy Island, and reached the south coast of Corn wallis Island, where she was stopped by the ice and eventually frozen in for 'the winter. Receiving positive orders from Captain Belcher SATURDAY, that all the ships were to be deserted and the crews sent forward to the North Star at Beechey Island, Captain Kellett successfully accom. plished his instructions in the spring of 1854; but before he quitted the Resolute one of tie most remarkable expeditions of the voyage was undertaken. Lieutenant Meacham was sent with a party to examine the " home " built at the formor quarters of the Resolute, Dealy Island, and thence to proceed to Prince of NlTales Strait, establishing caches by the way, while his second in command visited the Investigator in the Bay of Mercy. The lieutenant left the Resolute on the 3rd of April, 1854, found the " home " with its stores all safe at Dealy Island, reached the Princess Royal Islands in the centre of Prince of Wales' Strait on the 7th of May, and here found a record from the Enterprise (Captain Collinson), which had visited the islands in 1851 The document was re-signed May, 1852, and stated that further information would be found at an islet two degrees further west. This islet the lieutenant reached, and found the record. The last intelligence from Cap tain Collinsou was to the 29th of August, 1852. He stated that he intended to navigate the channel to the east between the North Ameri can shore and Prince Albert's Land, and endeavour to get up the channel traced by the Esquimaux, known on the maps as Victoria Strait. Had he succeeded in his design, he would probably have come upon those traces of Franklin which were subsequently brought to the knowledge of Dr. Rae. Failing in this object, he thought of returning by Behring's Strait. With this information Lieutenant Meacham hastened to return. At the Dealy Island depot he found instructions that be was to push on for Beechey Islaud. He over took on his way his second in command, Mr. Krabbe, who had visited the Investi gator, and found the ship safe, though in need of some repairs, which were performed. The whole party safely reached Beechey Island, having successfully performed one of the moat arduous Arctic journeys on record. In the summer of 1854, the position of affairs then was this—the Investigator, the Resolute, and the Intrepid, bad been aban doned, and the whole of their crews conveyed safely to the North Star at Beechey Island. The Assistance and Pioneer were still impri soned in Wellington Channel, and Captain Belcher bad made up his mind to abandon them if there seemed no chance of getting them clear towards the end of August. The time came, the ships were still fast, Captain Belcher, with his crews left the Assistance oa the 25th of August for the North Star, and in this vessel the crews of the five vessel§ actually sailed from Beechey Island on the 28th of August. Scarcely had she departed when the ic'kenix and Talbot came up with further supplies and instructions from the Admiralty. The crews which had been crowded on board the North Star were pow distributed among the three ships, and the little squadron sailed for home. Captain 13elcher determined to make for Cork, whert, with Captains M'Clure and Kellett, he arrived on the 28th of September, 1854. We have given but a bare outline of the lead ing facts of the voyage. Confusedly composed as the narrative is, there are many interesting passages in it. The journeys from the ships seem to have been all conducted with admira ble skill. Lieutenant M'Clintook, a most accomplished officer, was out from his ship, the Resolute, for one hundred and five days, and surveyed a wide extent of coast. It will be recollected that this able seaman made the most successful journey in Captain Austen's expedition. No one could read his narrative in the Blue Book without admiration of the skill, courage, accomplishments, and resources it displayed. Captain Kellett was most fortu nate in finding an abundant supply of game ; but in Wellington Channel the Assistance gained very tittle. Several questions were raised by the return of Sir E. Belcher. 1. Ought he to have aban doned all his ships as he did, 9 The Resolute, we see, was lately picked up by an American whaler in Davis's Straits, a fact which gives some colour of probability to the supposition that the ships seen oft the Newfoundland Bank were really the ships of Franklin. 2.