The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-09 00:00:00

/
(.4600

cf time Mr. Messeter was absent, or the number ofp:l,ka<.:fi
persons of which his party was col:upset], but it must I,k ,c-;
be allowed the sum is a very hl.-.ndsorne remuner.-.tion,
for at the utmost a few weeks toil and labour, even to
a pretty large party.

ROYAL GEOGRAPRICAL SOCIETY.
The usual meeting of the members of the Royal
Geographical Society was held on Monday evening,
at the Royal Institution. The chair was taken by
Sir Roderick Murchison.

The first paper read was Dr. Rae's journal of his
long and arduous voyage of exploration on the Arctic
shores in search of Sir John Franklin. In the ab-
sence of Dr. Rae, the paper was ,read by his friend and
companion Mr. Miles. On the 13th of June the
to the ex-
pedition set out from Fort Confidence, and ran
the confluence of the Vendall and Coppermine rivers.
They proceeded with great difficultyat this early period
of the season, meeting with many obstructions from
the unbroken ice, and surveyed the shores for a dis-
tance of nearly 1,100 miles in all. Occasional surveys
were made in the boats, and by expeditions upon the
land, but, as Dr. Rae regretted, without meeting with
any trace of Sir John Franklin's vessels. On the
20th of August a piece of pine wood was picked
up, which excited much interest. In appearance it
resembled the butt end of a flag-staff, and was five
feet nine inches in length. It had a curious mark,
apparently stamped upon it, and to it was attached a
piece of white line, fastened by two copper tacks,
both of which had the Government mark cf the
"broad arrow" upon them. About a mile further on
a piece of wood, which proved to be oak, was dis-
covered in the water, but touching upon the beach.
It was about three feet eight inches long, and Dr.
Rae supposes it to have been a stancheon. From the
circumstance of the flood tide coming from the north,
along the east shore of Victoria Island, there can be
no doubt that there is a water channel dividing that
island from North Somerset, a* d through this Dr.
Rae believes these pieces of drift weod to have come.
The support that Dr. Rae gins to the hope that
Sir John Franklin may be able to find provisions
from the birds and animals which frequent
those inhospitable shores is most interesting.
He describes the success of his- party in hunt-
ing as very great ; and that it was sufficient to
support life, was evident from the fact, that the con-
sumption of provisions from the 20th of June to the
21st of September was only 41 bags of flour and
1501bs. of dry meat, which was principally given to
the dogs. Although the crew, which consisted of
seventeen men, was thus chiefly fed upon flesh--
chiefly venison—there was not a single case of sick-
ness during the whole voyage. The paper, which
was listened to throughout with the most undivided
attention, concluded in the midst of a universal burst
of applause.
The CHAIRMAN, in returning thanks to Dr. Rae,
called attention to his previous expedition in the
spring, and stated, as a proof of the energy and deter-
mination of this enterprising traveller, that he had
traversed almost entirely on foot, and completed a
survey and plan of 1,100 miles of the coast, making ,
with the return, upwards of 2,000 miles in both ex-
peditions. This was what a real Arctic traveller
could accomplish ; and he hoped that Dr. Rae would
live long and continue his voyages with uninterrupted
success.

A very interesting discussion ensued upon the
question as to where the two pieces of drift wood had
been carried from; and secondly, whether there was
a sufficient supply of food to be procured by hunting
for the support of the missing adventurers, Sir G.
Back, R.N., Captain Ommanney, R.N., Dr. Rae,
Dr. Sutherland, and other gentlemen took part in the
discussion. On the first point Captain Ommanney
and Sir G. Back, after hearing Dr. Rae's explanation,
quite agreed with him. On the latter Captain Om-
manney stated that he considered it his duty to caution
the public from entertaining any expectation whatever
of the return again of Sir John Franklin. As far as
his experience went, there were not animals in large
enough numbers to supply them with provisions—at
least in the direction in which he explored the Arctic
regions. Dr. Sutherland and Mr. White, on the
other hand, maintain the contrary, and adduced the
results of their ow❑ experience, in confirmation of the
statements of Dr. Rae. Sir R. Murchison, in con-
cluding the controversy, stated that the hopes he had
already expressed in favour of Sir John Franklin's
being yet alive were more firmly established than ever.
A paper by the Rev. C. G. Nicholay, " upon the
classification of water sheds," occupied the remainder
of the evening.

SHIP NEWS.
NOTICES TO MARINERS.

A dispatch has been received at Lloyd's from the
Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade, con-
taining the following copy of a notice to mariners issued
by the Netherlands Minister of Marine relative to a
sunken wreck on the Pampus Bank :
(Copy.)
MARINE DEPARTMENT.

The Minister of Marine hereby iiirorms mariners and
others thereby interested that a sunk wreck on the Pam-
pus Bank (which is, however, expected to be removed)
is indicated by a wreck buoy situated thereon, lying in
the following bearings :
The County Hall, a short-handspike's distance south
of the Beacon Light of the River Y.
The Church of Weesp, at the Castle of Minden.
The Village of Uitdam, exactly between Bred: in
Waterland and Zuiderwonde.
With easterly winds, at high water, the depth above
the wreck measures 27 palms, and in the neighbourhood
of the wreck 32 palms.
Keeping the County Hall in a direct lino with the
Beacon Light on the river Y, ships run westerly along
the wreck and thereby keep tree of the same.
Fishermen are particularly recommended not to throw
their net in the neighbourhood of this buoy.
Tho Minister aforesaid,
(Signed) T. EITSLIE.
The Llagu, March 13, 1852.

WEST INDIES.THE
SOUTH POINT
REVOLVING LIGHT N
*March 24, 1652.
that her Majesty's Govern-
Notice is hereby
given, light on the south point
meat has established a
drees
and that it wca to be dis-
playedof the Island of Barba.
II y Od
ro gßr aAeOp Bh
ir 0 II?,
tower is 55 feet above the sea, from
Tile base of the
...atant,
and stands in lat. 13 deg.
2 it is 200 yards distant, and
deg.
32 .
on the Ist of this
NT and long. 59
2 min' 45
See.
'ili tower is •
°lno'rith.
92 feet high, and is painted
of Greenwich.
1 in alternate red and white bands, each being 7i feet in
depth.
light is thus 145 feet above the level of the sea,
The
and r' ,yolves once in Every mi,lute; after an eclipse
c seconds, it again appears, gradually in-
creasesti fourteen
rtwenty-four seconds to its greatest brilliancy,
and then in twenty-four seconds more is eclipsed.
prom the light, Seawell Point bears about N.E. by E.
IE, and Needham Point W.N.W. i W.; and, f'xcePt
from between the opposite bearings, the light is visible
in all directions from the deck of a vessel within the
distance of eighteen miles.
Vessels approaching the island from the eastward are
recommended not to run down their longitude to the
northward of 12 deg. 55 min. N., and as soon as the
light is discovered to bring it to hear west; steering from
thence by W. by S., and not passing it at a less distance
than two miles.
If coming trod the north-eastward the light will not
be visible until it bears to the westward of S.W. by W..,
being concealed by the high land forming. Seawall
Point; and if kept in sight well open of that
lead clear of the Cobblers, a group of dangerousof
the
which extend some miles from the eastern side.
point, Itr
reefs
berth, on account of the prevailing current to
island. Mariners are advised to give them
thea wldewest-
ward.
--

When the light is brought to bear N.E., a course may
be shaped for Needham Point; but in hauling up in Car-
lisle Bay, that point should be kept at the distance of a
third of a mile.