The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-01 00:00:00

ferred on me by the cordial manner in which my health heard of the Investigator. I can truly say that for many
has been drunk, and for the hearty cheers you have given months I scarcely dared to write to my dear friend here,
me. I wish to impress upon you, gentlemen, that it is although we have been in constant correspondence. I only
more owing to circumstances than to any merits of my own mention this to show what was my anxiety, knowing what
that I stand here in the honourable position in which Ido the danger was. I waited his return as anxiously as if he
to-day. I may say perhaps that lam the child of fortune. were a son of my own ; and, therefore, you may imagine
Fortune has thrown me through the north-west passage, the joy with which I heard of the young man's return.
and here lam to reap to a certain extent the honours and These, I think you will say, are good reasons why I have
benefits to which certainly Captain M'Clure and the offs- a right to feel a deep interest in the results of this expedi-
cers engaged in. the ship are entitled. I wish they were tion. Ido most heartily congratulate the town of Lynn
only here to partakeaef them. (Applause.) It has been upon having a young man belonging to it engaged in such
my good fortune to be the only one of the ship's company exploits ; and Ido think, that in doing honour to him you
present. I only regret that Capt. M'Clure and the rest of have done the greatest possible honour to yourselves.
the officers are unable to be in the country with me. Gen- (Applause.) While we are rejoicing over the return of
tlemen, whilst in the Arctic regions, during the three our friend, and the probable return of his shipmates, we
dreary winters I was out there, I always anticipated a cannot but turn to that which is not a matter of rejoicing,
warm and hearty welcome on returning to my native but rather a matter of sorrow and regret, that there has
land, and particularly my own county, and more particu- not been found a single token of our dear, long-lost
larly my own town. (Cheers.) But, gentlemen, I never Franklin and his companions. Not only has that been
expected such a warm and hearty welcome as I have been the case in the expedition in which Lieut. Gurney Cress-
so much honoured this evening by receiving. I must also well has been engaged, but I understand it to be the case
say I feel particularly proud of being a Norfolk man, al- with Sir Edward Belcher, who has gone up the Wel-
though I follow at a very great, and I may even say im- lington inlet, where I certainly thought traces must be
measureable distance, after the great men the Major men- found, because at Beechy Island we knew Franklin passed
tioned just now. But I cannot help feeling a pride within the first winter when he went out. There we found three
my heart when I remember that I belong to the same graves of his men, and that is, up to the present moment,
county which produced those great heroes. (Applause.) the only token whatever we have received of him. Ido
You are probably aware that two years or eighteen months consider it a most mysterious thing, and I have thought of
before I left the ship, we were obliged to be upon a very it as much as anybody. I can form but a single idea as to
short and scanty allowance of provisions. This was very the probable fate of Franklin. I do not agree with our
trying ; and therefore the contrast which the tables pre- friend Gurney Cresswell about the probabilityof both ships
sent to-day is as great a contrast as could possibly be. having gone down and nothing been seen of them, because,
(Laughter.) After being engaged in a three yeard-search although it is true that nothing might be seen of the ships
for Sir John Franklin, of course it is with deep regret themselves, Ido not believe the crewswould allhave perished
that lam obliged to return to my native country with- at one moment. I think there is that stuff and stamina
out being able to bring with me any certain tidings con- in 120 Englishmen that, somehow or other, they would
nected with his fate. You are probably aware from the have maintained themselves, as well as a parcel of Esqui-
incident mentioned to-day respecting the destruction of maux would. They would have found the Esquimaux,
the Breadalbane how very easily a ship may be crushed in and there would have been something like a trace of them
the ice and sunk. That may probably have been the fate if they had been on earth. The only thing which I can
of Franklin's ships • but there are many other modes in suggest is this. Wellington Strait was discovered by my-
which a ship may be destroyed so that no remains of it self on the expedition I spoke of. It is a large opening
may be found. Many who are present may wish to know from Lancaster Sound. When I was going westward from
what is my opinion (as I have been so nearly connected with Melville Island, we saw Wellington Straits perfectly free
Arctic expeditions) as to the fate of Sir John Franklin. I from ice, and so I marked it on my chart. It was not my
do not think that, because ships are missed, it is at all ne- business to go north as long as I could get west, and there-
cessary that anything should be found of them. Gentle- fore we ran past and did not examine it. But it has al-
men, I must apologise for having detained you so long, but ways been a favourite idea of those who imagined the
I cannot sit down without expressing my fervent hope that north-west passage was to be easily made by going north.
to'wha,tever services I may be called, whether it be to fight That we know was the favourite idea of Franklin, and we
my country's battles, or in more pacific services connected know he did intend, if he could not get westward, to go
with science, or to whatever I may be called, I may not up Wellington Channel. We have it from his own lips.
give my fellow-townsmen and the gentlemen who have My belief is still that after the first winter he did go up
come from afar to do me such high honour to day, any that Channel, and that having steam power (which I had
cause of regret for their kindness. (Applause.) Mr. not in my time), it is possible he may have gone up in a
Mayor, I must again tell you how highly complimented I favourable season. For you cannot imagine anything more
feel by the handsome manner in which you have proposed different than a favourable and an unfavourable season in
my health, and by the very flattering speech you made to ' those regions. You cannot imagine the changes that take
that toast. I also must express to the gentlemen present, place in the ice there. I have been myself sometimes beset
and particularly to those'who have come from a distance, for two or three days together by the ice, in such a way
my gratitude to them for having honoured me this day that from the masthead I could not see sufficient water to
with aheir presence. (Loud applause.) float that bottle in; and in 24 hours there was not a bit
The MAYOR then proposed, in succession, the healths of ice to be seen,—nobody could tell why,—l cannot tell
of " The High Sheriff,' " The Lord High Steward and the why ; and you might have saileq about as you may in your
Corporation of King's Lynn," " The Recorder of the own river, as far as ice is concerned. Therefore in a fa-
Borough," "The Lord Lieutenant," and afterwards "The vourable season he may have gone up that inlet, and may
health of Sir E. Parry." by the power of steam and favourable circumstances have
• Sir E. PARRY rose to return thanks, and was received got so far to the north-west that in an ordinary season he
with the most enthusiastic cheering, the whole of the corn- could not got back again, And those who knew Franklin
pauy rising to do honour to the veteran Arctic hero. He know this—that he would push on year after year so long
rising to respond to the toast you have now drunk, as his provisions lasted. Nothing could stop him. He
I can truly say that the occasion on which we are now as- was not a man to look if he believed the thing was stilL
sembled is to me one of almost deeper interest than I have possible. He may have got beyond the reach of our search-
ever experienced in my life. It is not because of the nurn- ing parties, for Sir Edward Belcher has not been able to
ber and respectability, of the gentlemen before whom I now get far up, and we have not been able to got the investiga-
stand, although I can assure you that as their invited guest tion completed. In speaking of Franklin every one will
Ido feel this a true honour and a real privilege. (Cheers.) feel sorrow for his probable fate. My dear friend Franklin'
It is not even because of the cordiality—oh, Mr. Mayor, was 60 years old when he left this country ; and I shall
much more than cordiality—l wish I had a stronger word never forget the zeal, the almost youthful enthusiasm,
with which to express it—wherewith you have been kind with which that man entered upon that expedition. Lord
enough to drink my health, although Ido assure you I Haddington, who was then first Lord of the Ad uiralty,
esteem it a very high honour, upon which I reckoned very sent for me, and said, " I see, by looking at the list, that
greatly, and for which I now desire to tender you my most Franklin is 60 years old ;do you think we ought to let him
grateful acknowledgments. But, gentlemen, it is not these go?" I said "He is a fitter man to go than any I know ;
things which to me constitute the interest of this occasion. and if you don't let him go, the man will die of disappoint-
I say, these are every-day occurrences ; these are common- ment." He did go, and has been gone eight years ; and
place things. On such occasions and at such dinners, therefore I leave to yourselves to consider what is the
healths are given, toasts are drunk, speeches are made, and probability of the life of that excellent and valuable
so on ; but, gentlemen, the occasion on which we are now man. In the whole course of my experience, I have never
assembled, I maintain, is no common-place one ;itis no known a man like Franklin. I 'did not say it because
every-day occurrence.. We have met this day on an occa- he is dead—upon the principle de ntortuis nil nisi bonunt,
sion which I think may well be recorded in all our memo- but I never knew a man in whom different qualities
ries as one of the most remarkable occasions of our lives, were so remarkably combined. In my dear friend
whether among our _young friends who are present or the Franklin, with all the tenderness of heart of a simple
older ones. We have met to do honour to officers and men child, there was all the greatness and magnanimity of
belonging to her Majesty's navy, who have achieved an ex- a hero. It is recorded of that man that he would not even
ploit of no ordinary _character, and in which our distin- kill a mosquito that was stinging him ; but whether that
,guished young friend, Mr: Gurney Cresswell, has happily be true or not, it is a true type of the tenderness of that
borne so eminent a part. (Applause.) And, gentlemen, I man's heart. I cannot sit down without alluding to an-
am sure that you will not appreciate it the less because the other circumstance which must cast a gloom over that
exploit which we commemorate this day is one of peace. which would otherwise be a matter of rejoicing, and that
(Applause.) You will not value it the less highly because it is the fate of that gallant and most distinguished young
has not been stained by bloodshed—(hear, hear)—you will Frenchman, Lieut. Bellot. I am sure I trust England
not, I say, appreciate it at a lower value because it has will be ready to do justice to the magnanimity which led
not been accompanied by the slaughter of thousands or by that young man on two occasions as a foreigner to enter
the misery and the pangs and woes of tens of thou- into our own service without pay, without emolument,
sands of bereaved widows and destitute orphans. lam without anything but humanity pressing upon his heart,
convinced that you do not appreciate it the less because to go forth in search of our lost hero. (Applause.) Gen-
the exploit which we record this day in doing honour to tlemen, when I was leaving home yesterday morning, it
our friend who has been engaged in it is one, essentially, occurred to me that I could bring to you and show you
of a peaceful character. Now, gentlemen, we know that (as every reminiscence, every memento of such a man is
you have shewn honour on this occasion to your young valuable), a turnscrew he sent to me, poor dear fellow !
townsman, who has been so happily engaged in the service of just before he left England, the handle being made of one
his country ; but there are things connected with it which of the boats of my old ship' the Fury, which, after
1 think make the interest I feel i,n it even greater than that lying there 26 years, Bellot picked up on Fury Beach.
which you Can possibly experience. There are many things He sent me that little thing as a memento, and
in which I feel an interest in common with yourselves, but it will be handed down as a heirloom to my
there are circumstances in which, perhaps, it may almost be naval son, who, I hope, will value it as I do. But I will
said that I stand alone, at least, in this great assembly. not detain you longer. I hope you will pardon the loqua-
(Hear, hear.) In the first place, I spent many of the best city of an old, old Arctic voyager. (Applause). I must
years of my own life in services similar to that in which say that when I hear those stories, as I beard this morn-
Lieut. Gurney Cresswell has been engaged. It is now 35 ing, and as I read them, of what has been performed, the
years since I commenced upon the same field of labour, way in which the last link of the north-west passage has
and it is 31 years since it pleased God to permit me with been discovered—that to which I devoted the best years
two of our ships to penetrate to the western end of Mel- of my life,—if rekindles in my bosom all the ardour of en-
ville Island. That, I was permitted to accomplish in a terprise, aye, and much of the vigour of youth. (Loud
single season ; and, considering the nature of that enter- applause.) I will just say that the only thing I regret in
prise, there is no doubt I had a favourable season, and was coming here to-day is this simple fact, that we have been
very much favoured in doing it, because until, the year obliged to designate our dean young friend by the name of
1852, from tho time I speak of in 1819, although several Lieutenant Cresswell. (Hear, hear.) I know not any-
efforts have been made, no one has ever reached within 300 thing of the intentions of the Admiralty ; but I will say
or 400 miles of the same spot. Whilst this was going on, this, that Ido not believe the Admiralty of Great Britain
the north coast of America, from Behring's Straits, was can possibly refuse to give promotion to the first man who,
being surveyed by several accomplished Arctic travellers. since the world began, has ever traversed the north-west
We have in the list our dear friend Franklin, Richardson, passage. (Loud and continued cheers.)
and Deedes, and Simpson, and Wray, and Beechey, and The VICE-CHAIRMAN gave the next toast, "Capt.
Pullen, andHoopera and perhaps one or two others whom Mc. Clare, with three hearty cheers, in the hope and ex-
I have forgotten. But you see there is a long list of gal- pectation of his happy return with the whole of his crew
lant nautical men engaged in surveying that part of the in 1853," and his brother officers of the Investigator.
coasts of America," which you see before you on the chart. Lieut. CRESSWELL said it devolved upon him as the
So that in point. f fact, when I reached the western extre- only representative of the captain and officers of the Inves-
mity of Melville Island, and saw Banks's land 60 miles tigator to return thanks for the honour done them by the
from it, which is laid down in my chart of that day, there toast. He only regretted Captain M'Clure could not be
then remained a considerable portion from the continent present himself to receive so high a mark of honour from
upwards to that point yet to be explored. Our dear young so large an assembly, No doubt that on his return to
friend has had the privilege of accomplishing that—(ap England he would receive all the honours which he richly
plause)—and I venture to say that there is no portion of deserved. (Loud applause).
the north-west passage more difficult of accomplishment The MAYOR gave " The health of the members for the
than that. I will say, too, that there never has been an Borough of King's Lynn."
instance in which so magnificent a navigation has been Lord STANLEY rose to respond, and was received with
performed in a single season as was performed by Captain shouts of applause which promised to be of endless duration.
M`Clure and his officers. Gentlemen, there is nothing in Silence having at length been restored, his lordship said—
Arctic discovery to be compared to that one summer's ex- Mr. Mayor, and gentlemen, I beg to assure you that upon
ploit in the year 1852. It is between 900 and 1,000 miles, ordinary occasions lam perfectly well contented with the
very nearly 1,000, from Point Barrow, which we consider honour of representing you ; but on the present occasion I
any ship may reach in these days—we don't think so much find that I have not only to represent you but also to repro-
of getting a little into the ice as we formerly did ; but from sent my friend and colleague Lord Jocelyn. I beg to say—
Point Barrow along to Cape Parry, from which our friend which lam quite sure I may do in his name, althoug
struck off in the Investigator, to the island you see there without his authority—that he must deeply regret that
—Baring Island—and then upward to the Bay of Mercy, the shortness, I believe the necessary shortness of the
where the Investigator, lam afraid, is till this moment notice which was given of this festival should have ren-
confined, is from 900 to 1,000 miles ; and I assure you, tiered his attendance here absolutely impossible. And
from the experience I have had of the navigation of those now, gentlemen, turning from this vicarious duty, allow
seas, it is a most marvellous navigation to accomplish. me to offer you my heartful thanks for the kind and cora
I believe no man can tell more of the difficulty of it dial welcome wnich Ihavereceived from you--a welcome for
than I can—and I repeat that there has been nothing in which however little I may have done to deserve it, I con-
the whole course of Arctic discovery equal to that which fess that my past experience of Lynn had not left me
Captain M'Clure and his companions accomplished. The wholly unprepared. (Applause.) Gentlemen, one word of
exploit then comes to this, that by this gallant achieve- myself, and then I shall pass from that subject. When I
ment the existence of the whole of the north-west passage first had the honour of coming among you, very nearly
has been ascertained beyond a doubt ; and it is a curious five years ago, I recollect that I made you two promises.
circumstance that Captain M'Clure should just have been I told you that you had not anything very brilliant to ex-
enabled to reach from the westward to the Bay of Mercy, pect from me in the way of parliamentary performance.
which is, in point of fact, upon the very land I saw in No man can answer for himself in that line, because no
coming from the eastward, but could not reach, so that man knowswhat the House of Commons is until he has tried
there we are met within 60 miles, and I only hope that the it. I did promise you that so far as in me lay I would en-
crownina triumph of getting completely through may be deavour to promote the local interests of this borough;
reserve.! for our gallant friend, Captain apoure. (Cheers.) and I assured you further that so far as steady and con-
It is the only thing I wish to see, in order to crown the tinued attendance at the ordinary labour, I might say
triumph, not only to our officers, buti to our country, which ordinary drudgery of Parliament was concerned, I would
has done so much, and spent so much, and sent forth so endeavour not to be found wanting. (Applause.) Those
many gallant men, in order to accomplish this achieve- pledges, gentlemen, I have endeavoured to redeem. It
ment. I can hardly tell you with what intense interest I was more owing to accidental circumstances than to any
heard of the arrival of our friend. I believe it is impossi- personal qualifications of mine that I chanced to be a mem-,
ble for any one here to imagine it. I knew all the ground ber' although a subordinate member,of an administration;
upon which they were going. I knew that at the west but in the position which I now occupy, a position with
end of Melville Island there was such a barrier of ice as which I assure you lam perfectly satisfied, as a private in
rendered it impossible for any man to get through. Inever the ranks, as a plain working man of Parliament, I will
saw such at Spitzbergen, The ice was such as I never saw endeavour, I hope I may say Ido endeavour, to spare no
in that which stopped my progress during two summers. labour which my health and my strength enable me to
You will hear from my friend Gurney Cresswell the na- perform. (Loud applause.) But, gentlemen, I did not
tuns of the ice where they were stopped—that it must be come here to-night to receive honours, but to pay them.
very much of the same character ; and you may imagine, (Applause.) As an adopted fellow-townsman of yours,
therefore, how little probability there is of the ship getting for such you have made me, I cannot feel cold or in-
out of it. Ido not say she will not cross, because a favour- different to anything. which concerns the-reputation of
able season will do a great deal; but when we hear that Lynn. And,—l say it with a full knowledge of your
after three days' heavy gale of wind right off the shore, it past history, I say it with a full recollection of your
was as much as they could do to crawl along a few hundred honourable antecedents,—l do not believe there has been
yards at a time and get into the Bay of Mercy—when you any event, in the course, to say the least of it, of the present
see how much three days' gale of wind will do acting upon century, which has conferred and will confer so much re-
that ice, it proves it must butt against something in the putation upon this borough andits inhabitants as that event
north, and be stopped there, and you see how little proba- which we have this day met to celebrate. (Loud applause.)
bility there is of the .Investigator getting out. I hope and For that honour we are indebted to a townsman of ours,
trust she may. On the other hand I don't fear for the whom lam sorry still to call Lieutenant Cresswell; but I
safety of our people there. Happily and providentially an hope I am only anticipating a little if I address him as
expedition went out, and Capt. Kellett, with the greatest Captain Cresswell. (Applause.) He has accomplished a
possible zeal and activity, has communicated with her, success which is not only gratifying to himself, which is
There is a very considerable depot of provisions at Beechy not only to this his native spot, but which will tend in a
Island. That was part of the plan ordered by the commit- very sensible degree to augment the naval reputation of
tee of which I was a member. So that, humanely speak- this country. He has accomplished a triumph which, asit
ing, I really feel that the lives of the gallant men in either has been well remarked, comes to him, not embittered by
of these expeditions may be considered virtually safe. I any single painful or melancholy reminiscence, a triumph
do not say there will not be casualties ; Ido not say they not over man but over nature, a triumph which inflicts no
will bring all their ships home. Our friend has described injury and which humiliates no enemy, a triumph not for
how the Breadalbane went down in the ice. I have seen it this age alone but for posterity, not for England only but
myself ; I knowihow a'ship may go like a nut between nut- for mankind. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, at this hour of the
crackers, if she gets between the ice, and that may happen night it would be absolutely unpardonable to trespass upon
to any one of the ships, or all of them. But at the same your time. (No, no.) Before I sit down I have just one
time there they are ; they have provisions ; and it is a word to say, and it is one which I hope you will receive
comfortable thing, the feeling that men engaged in such a with pleasure. We commenced the evening very properly
gallant achievement are personally safe from harm. That with paying the due and ordinary compliment to the su-
is one reason why I think I feel a deeper interest in the re- prelate authority of this country, and I think it is not right
sult of this expedition than perhaps anybody here present. to close it without paying an equally merited compliment
Another reason is this, that I was one of the committee to the supreme authority of this borough. (Hear.) Gentle
appointed by the Admiralty to propose the plans for the men, I therefore beg to propose to you the health of one
recent expedition, and was therefore personally concerned who needs no panegyric from me,— The Health of your
in sending our young friend Cresswell out; so that I did Mayor." (Loud and continued applause.) After a hearty
feel upon that point a personal responsibility, though I be- three times three.
lieved I had done the best thing that could be done, and The MAYOR returned thanks, and proposed—" The
believe it still. It was the best chance of finding our dear Members of the Western Division of the county of Nor-
friend Franklin, if he was to be found, but still I did feel folk. (Cheers.)
a personal responsibility, having taken a part as one of the Mr. BAGGE, M.P., was received with great applause.
committee to recommend the plan which was put into He said he regretted exceedingly that none of his colleagues
practice. Then give me leave to say that there is still were present to return thanks in his place ; but he assured
another reason why my interest and anxiety was deep in them that though he might regret it for one reason he did
this matter,—and that was that I had no small hand in not for another, which was that he now claimed again the
sending out our dear young friend himself. (Applause.) acquaintance of his hon. and gallant friend after many
His dear and revered father, who sets before me now, years' absence, during which he had lost sight of him. A
knows that we talked it over, and I advised him. I said, person who might have made an occasional trip only as
" Let the young man go ; I give you the advice I would far as Paris, looked forward with joy to the time when he
for my own dear son in the navy. Let him go by all means should again step on the shore of old England ; and if so,
if he wishes. We oust not stand upon these points, but what must be the joy of their gallant young friend after
let him go where honour and reputation is to be earned." so many years' absence and after such trials as he had un-
I need not tell you that Mr. Cresswell was not long in re- dergono. It was a source of sincere pleasure not only to
spending to that. It was the young man's wish to go, and himself but to his fellow townsmen, of whom he (Mr.
go he did. I shall never forget how he hurried through his Bagge) was glad to be one. After the excellent speeches
examination to qualify himself for a lieutenancy, and he i they had heard, it would ill become him to address them
just got through it. I believe a passing day was appointed further than to congratulate their gallant friend. Long
for him, in easier that he might reach the ship in time to might he be an ornament not only to his service but to his
join the expedition. Therefore, I have rather a personal native town. (Applause.)
responsibility in it. I must say I did spend many an SIR EDWARD PARRY proposed "Captain Collinson anal
anxious day, and not a few sleepless nights, as year after the officers and crew of the Enterprise."
year, and month after mouth went on, and nothing was The MAYOR--I find a toast entered on the list withOlit

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