The Express.
London, England, 1852-04-22 00:00:00

was strongly impressed with tho idea that they were Sir
John Franklin's ships.
" In this invatigation I have received the cooperation of
Commander J. J. Falser, Commander William Ellis (a),
and Captain William Caldwell, inspector of police for the
county Limerick, who havo rendered me every moisture ia
their power. Mr. Simpson has shown every desire to give
all the information which ho is now enabled to do, og,i
have every confidence in his candour and integrity.
" I have the honour to be, sir,
" Your very obedient servant,
" ERASMUS OMMANNEY, Captain R.N."
"STATEMENT OF MR. ROMER? SIMPSON, MASTS& (~s TH,
BRITISH QUEEN.

4. id,. Robert Simpson, Mastir,aoenfodnitherno:Bp.ttrieitis,hvii7.
ueen, late
Mate of the Renovation, made the following statement
I. palmrr
" before
loSflaPritteona PrfdreooLrfmEPWe.Felice
Liverpool, l sa(nael
as mate of the lienoystion
(muter, Mr. E. Coward), 6th of April, 1851, for Quebec
About the 10th or 20th of April fell in with numerous ice:
berp. On the second morning after sighting the icebergs'
had the morning watch. About 6 cm. I sow two vessels
lying on an iceberg. One was lying on her beam-cods, with
her deck towards us, having only her lower masts and bow.
sprit left standing. The other had her topmasts or, cud,
with lower and topsail yards across, but no tails bent; she
had no topgallant masts up and was nearly end on to us. She
was lying on an elevated part of tho ice, tar above the other
one. I went down and ealled the master, who wee lying v, ry
ill in bed, and reported the circumstance to hint. At hot
he did not speak ; 1 mentioned it a second time, wleu lie
said, Never could.' I returned on deck, and stets' on the
Ise quarter to watch the vessels ; all the watch came aft
to look at them also, with the spyglass. I called Mr. Lynch
(passenger) out of his bed, who came up immediately in his
shirt and drawers, but afterwards went down and drew&
We both examined them with the spying glass, each man
of the watch looked through tho glass at them also. We
continued our course ; 1 did not like to incur the respote;.
bility of altering it without the muster's sanction, but fully
expected to receive orders to close the vessels. I think 1
called him twice, as I told Mr. Lynch at the time I would
like to go on hoard. We were running with the wind uo
port quarter, to the hest of my recollection, under double-
reelect lopaaila and courses. Before they Were out of sicht,
Mr. Lynch remarked that they might be Franklin's ship.,
ea they were so near to each other. I regarded then: as
wrecks, and therefore did not trouble my mind further
about them at the moment. I remarked to Mr. Lynch that
there were no sails bent. There were no signs of any person
being alive on board them. Could discern nothing but the
hulls, masts, and yards. Our nearest distance when the
ships were abeam was about five miles, or just able to dn.
tinguish with the naked eye the hulls and masts. There
were many other icebergs in sight at the time. We had no
cargo on hoard. Mr. Lynch was our only passenger, and I
think he came u a friend of the captain's.
11.0111:11T SIMPSON, late mate of the Renovation.
" Limerick, April 16, 1842."
" Witness, the aforegoing statement has been read and
acknowledged by Mr. Robert Simpson, in our presence, to
be correct. .

" ERASMUS OMMANNNY, Captain, R.N.
" WILLIAM Ect.ts, Commander, R.N.
"\V. CALL ELL, County lOVOCIOI Constabalary,
Limerick.
" JOHN JEKVIII PALMER, Commander, R.N:'

" Replies made by Mr. Robert Simpson, master of the
British Queen, late muter of the Renovation, in answer
to questions put to him by Captain 14. Ommanney, R.N.,
in the presence of Commander J. J. Palmer, R.N.,
Commander W. Ellis (a), R.N., and Captain W. Cald-
well, Inspector of Police, on the 11th of April, 16'4, at
Limerick :
" ' How long have you been at sea ?-13 years.
" Have you ever seen any ice before the last voyage ?
Yes, in the Black Sea, and was frozen in ; but never before
off Newfoundland. It was my first voyage to America, and
it was Mr. Coward's (the muter) also.
" ' At what distance did the Renovation pass from the ice
on which the vessels lay ?—Five or six miles.
" ' How were the shape painted I—They appeared to be
all black.
" Had the upper ship any of her topgallant Melting
aloft 2—lt was not up, and all the running gear appeared to
be umpire ; there was nothing but the standing rigging to
be seen.
" ' How was the lower rigging set up ?—Dud not take
notice.
"s Did you remark anything peculiar about the fitting of
the holidays I—No.
" Could you distinguish any gaffs, or other span , is
their places, except the masts and yards ? —No, t.k ships
were too far from us.
Were the sails bent 2—No, they were all unbent. It
was remarked at the time by Mr. Lynch and myself.
" ' Could you discover any one moving on board the
wads ?—No ; the large one looked like a wreck: the
smaller one, on the highest part of the ice, was upright,
and looked in good condition.
" Had any person been ow either ship would they have
seen you T—Yes, no doubt they would.
"'Were the ships housed over?—The large one, which
lay on her beam ends, with her deck exposed to our
was not. lam not certain about the other.
" What boats could you perceive I.—There were no boats
visible.
"Could you make out any boats' davits?—No.
"Could you distinguish the ships rudders, and whether
they were impended across the sterns?—No, they were tat
distant.
Had they any topgallant forecastle ?—No; the ship on
her beam ends was flush, her decks were clear.
" ' Could you see whether the ships were eoppered —I
could not see any of the bottom of the ship on her hem.
ends, owing to her position, and was apparently much in-
bedded in the ice. Could see a large portion of the other
ship's bottom, which I think was not eoppered.
"'Could you perceive whether the ships had any anchors
Ades bows or elsewhere I—None to be seen.
"Prom all your experience as a seaman, when looking
Odom, ships was there anything unusual in their general
ranee I—They were too far off to notice particulan.
willies was old, and a very indifferent one.
' Could you perceive any aperture in the run for work-
ing a screw propeller ? No. Could not sec the after part
o the upper ship, and the lower one being on her beam.
ends and embedded in the ice, could not obtain any view
of her.
" Had you any piece of ordnance or signal gun on
board ?—We had one, a two or three-pounder.
" ' Did you fire it, or make any signal to attract at-
tention I—No. I doubt whether we had any powder on
board.
Can you state bow the masts were painted ?—I think
the lasgest ship's was white.
" Did any one go aloft to obtain a better view of the
ships P—No one went aloft ;it was not requisite ;we could
see them plainly.
" Could you see aoy figurehead or cutwater ?—I think
there was no cutwater.
" ' Could you distinguish the difference of the dimensions
between the two ships ?—The lower one appeared to ',ls!
01' than the upper one, but this might arise from the
different positions in which they lay, the upper one having
ter bows towards us, and the other with the whole of her
deck exposed le our view. They were large ships.
" s Were the hatchways open 2—Could not set ; it was
too distant.
" What do you consider large ships?—Ships about ed
oe 600 tons.
" ' Was the circumstance of seeing these two ships en-
larged In the log ?—lt is entered in, the log of the Rem-
'sew.
" • How far do you suppose the ships were apart'-2.0 ar
SD yards; apparently they were very close.
" What distance from the water's edge ?—The ship
oa
her beam ends only a few yards; her masts nearly over the
water.
" What wan the height of the ice P—The highest part
about 30 feet.
" (live a description of the surface and area of the ice on
which the ships lay ?—I think the ice on which the shio
lay was 6 miles long.
" Can you give the position of the Renovation wit:a
passing the ships ?—We must have been out in our recknnaq
much further to the northward and westward. I supy,il
we were to the southward of Cape Itace.
" How far were you from the nearest land?—When we
sighted St. John's light at 10 p.m., we must have mac
about •W. by N. course for 14 hours, from the ship Tun-
ing 6 or 7 knots per hour.
Were you ha soundings when the ships were passed '—
Yes ; we had tried on two occasions the previous day with
GO fathoms of line, but no bottom ; we were SO miles to tbe
northward and westward of our reckoning. We had za

chronometer.
After you last saw the vessels did any conversation
arise between yourselves as to what they were ?—hlr. Lyndt
spoke a groat deal about the ships, arid said it vras a errat
pity we ran past them,_ and he told the pilot of them whca
he came on board off Cape Gaspe. On IffiTlll at Quebec
Mr. Lynch wished to set off again in search of them. lie
spoke a great deal on the subiect to the master, who
frequently much vexed with him for it also Monet he
had not examined them.
Were you aware of a reward being offered by th,
government for the discovery of Sir John Franklin*, Ea.
pedllion 2—No ; I think it was not known to any me an
Lr'ff

Was any one in the ship aware of such reward'—
m Perhaps the aster might, hut I doubt whrther the nail
were aware of such reward, or that they knew of any sigh
expedition as Franklin's.
" Are you aware whether the master reported the cm
cumstance on his arrival at Quebec ?—lle told me held.
" Were there any more bergs in sight ?—Wc could c "6'
them in all directions ; we passed a great many icebvrp 011
the previous day.
" What time was it when Mr. Lynch first expressed
ibc
his
opinion that they might be Franklin s ships —Wilco
ships were nearly out of sight astern.
Did you or Mr. Lynch go down to the nuntrt after
such opinion was expressed ?—Mr. Lynch w,
Mr. Coward, but I do not know what transpit
them.
" Were you and Mr. Lynch on friendly
so; like brothers.
" May I ask whether there was a perfect
between you and the master in the managenn
on all occasions?—We had perfect confidence
We had been together four years in the Reno'
orders were very strict never to alter the 51111,'l
out his
did ;L. not remonstrate with Mr.
a view to obtain his sanction to close the ve—,l
time we regarded them as wrecks. Wilco I
thought he would have given orders to go el,
them ; but I do not know what he said
Mr. Coward never came on deck to look at'

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terms
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