The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-09 00:00:00

Zbe court.

OSBORNE, MONDAY.
Her Majesty, Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales,
and the Princess Roynl, attended divine service yesterday
morning, at the parish church at Whippingham. The
Rev. T. Protheme officiated.

Sir Thomas Fremantle, chairman of the Customs, had an
interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday,
at hb official residence in Downing street.
Mr. C. E. Stewart and Mr. Carter transacted business
yesterday at the railway department of the Board of Trade.
Despatches were received at the Colonial-office yesterday,
from the Governor of Ceylon. Despatches were sent off
last evening to the Governor of Ceylon.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon,
at the Foreign-office, Downing-street. The ministers
present were—Lord John Russell, the Lord Chan-
cellor, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto,
Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey,
the Chancellor of tho Exchequer, Sir Francis Baring,
Lord Broughton, the Right Hon. Henry Labou-
chere, the Earl of Carlisle, the Marquis of Clanri-
carde, the Right Hon. Fox Malik, Lord Seymour,
and Earl Granville. The council eat two hours and
a half.

REFORM OF THE CUSTOMS' LAWS. Yesterday
was the day appointed by Lord John Russell to receive the
deputation of merchants, bankers, upon the subject of
the customs' laws. A large number of gentlemen assembled
at the Treasury at the appointed time, when the following
letter was presented to them, and much disappointment
was expressed in consequence: "Downing-street, 6th
Dee., 1851. Sir,—l am desired by Lord John Russell to
say that he will be prevented from receiving the deputation
of merchants, bakers, &c., at 1 o'clock on Monday next
as originally fixed; but that he will be happy to receive
them at the same hour on Tuesday next, the 9th inst. Will
you have the goodness to communicate this to the gentlemen
who arc to form the deputation. I have the honour to be,
Sir, pour obedient servant, WILLIAM Law.—John Master-
man, Esq., M.P.

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION.

At the meeting of the Geographical Society yes-
terday evening, the following interesting communication
in reference to the missing ships in the Arctic Seas was
I read -

•
" l'ulmurr, Aberdeen, Dee. 3, 1831.
" Sir,—l beg to lay before you, and the scientific body
to which you belong, a few observations which came under my
notice during my late voyage in search of Sir John Frank-
lin, which I consider of great importance at the present
critical moment.

" On the 25th of August, 1850, having joined Captain
Ommanney, on the west side of Wellington Channel, and
seen the traces found by him of the missing ships, I con-
sidered it my proper course to return to the eastern shore
of the channel, with the view of examining those parts
more closely than had been done before.
" The result of my return was most satisfactory, for not
until then were the winter quarters of the misting ships
discovered ; and, ,what is of still more importance in m
estimation as regards the route of the missing ship, a watch
tent upon a height about four miles north and west from
the posititn occupied by the ships. This tent was evidently
for the purpose of watching every move of the ice in Wal-
lington-channel. We also saw the ruts of sledges going
and returning from making observations upon the channel,
and in the tent we fount, a small piece of paper with the
words, "to be called." The other part of which must have
been torn off, thus evidently showing that a regular watch
had been kept.
t. On the sth of September, 1850, from the top of Cape
Spencer, a height of at least 730 feet, open water was ob-
Served beyond the fixed Ice in the channel. The strong
easterly gales which we experienced some time previous to
the above date, had counteracted the prevaihng current
from the westward, and had driven the ice thruigh Queen
Victoria Channel into the Antic Basin.
On the 7th of September • strong northerly gale
Dwight away fifteen mites of ice down Wellington Chan-
nel, having only about fifteen miles of ice between the
two seas.
" Having commenced our travelling on the 13th of April,
1851, I came upon water acid decayed ice en the 15th or
May, in the channel between Cornwallis Land and Balk
Hamilton Island, obliging me to return to the east of the
said island, and then to the north. We gained Point Shy-
prise, in lat. 78 deg. 2 min., lon. 95 dig. 56 min. The
water washed the point at my feet, and extended 25 miles
west. The sky indicated water to the north round Dendas
Island. The moment I stood upon Point Surpriee with a
fall view to the west, I exclaimed, ' Through this channel
Sir John Franklin has gone In clear water. Oh, for a boat.'
With this conviction on my mind, I returned with the de-
termination to use every exertion to get a boat up to this
water. - . .

O'n the 29th of the same month, Messrs. Cloodair and
Marshall, advancing with their party along the shore of
Cornwallis Land, were forced to return for water with
still thirty days' provision upon their sledges.
" Again, on the 31st May, Capt. Stewart ha vi g advanced
as far as Cap* Becher by the east side of the Channel and
along Albert Land came to water, and from a height of 700
feet found nothing but open sailing ice as far as the eye
could react, to the west and north-west.
"Oa the 6th of June a boat was fully equipped, and a
j commenced for Victoria Channel. Some of the
party Laving 'rely returned Si hours from a journey of
31 daayrs Oa the 17th of the lame month the boat was
lwehed into the water in long. 96 west, and continued
te sentend for 33 days with adverse winds and rapid tides,
which brought the drifting toe in such quantities to the
eseterard as to block up the various channels between the
▪ leaving an open sea beyond, men trent the top of
▪ Hamilton's Island. My Wont exertions were so
bosspersd, that only 210 miles of bleed one were exa-
aimed b the boat party; but had a ezeni ernaterly wind
pesysi for only a• short time, so as to counteract the
Sala of the westerly current, what might have not been
ism even with that small boat t
_ _ .

"It ls ay aoavietion tharthe tide flows hem the north-
west in Victoria Channel, ai l thee' h a maim rise
end fall of Ism feat; still inaid aNaaalthoeorrast seemed
to roe the graator part of the twelve howls lithe eastward,
vrtiala have no dial* was greatly intimated by the strong
& 21. W. sad W.N.W. wt. whirl" prinellod far a whole
mesa; but ammo* bbledoasil narrow dreads one would
meek. linger area be eakkig obeetratises to enable him
to Welt with certainty at Nis seldeat.
" not Sir John Menhir 1111111 tither advanced,
midi not I hays Gonna tram of him en the islands I
eierthed, ar shoat the Imadlaads where birds build their
web, and thiamin of Meer and king ducks are to be
hest t I soy months bore, that during my last voyao,
▪ whole heat was NM with asp of a small island on &is
east site of Zarb Nadir islet. 73 deg. 40 min., and we
omit hero tales be boo bob of the same island, had
the birth loos be seams; and when such is the result of
sapadoese, who ma any that Sir John Franklin and his
brew aompemiers may sot exist still ?
" Ow the 1111•131 m. I sow norwab, walruses., and white
wham making thdr wag awe &mast, seeking the prates-
of th" too, theme... I hew mm is WANK Davis's
Strata Them aide ralosto north at the eases arum
every yam he theism which is a reprisalsn proof
that a ma dem nit Queen Victoria Channel, com-
paratively Gm endless bon ice, mad that they instinctively

seek the protection of the ice, which remain% longer in thc.e
narrow straits. _

_.._.,_.
" Sir John Franklin and his brave companions left their
native shores to battle for science. Humanity demands that
this search should not be given up until the searchers shall
have passed through the arctic basin and out into the Pacific
Ocean, and, until such a course be pursued, the fate a our
missing countrymen can never be ascertained.
4. I have the honour to remain, sir, your most obedient
servant, Wie. PENN v,
" Late Commander of an Arctic Expedition.
" To the President of the Royal Geographical Society."