The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-14 00:00:00

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN GIVEN UP.

The tardy resolution adopted by the Admiralty
with regard to the late Sir John Franklin and his
associates in adventure and misfortune can scarcely
have taken even the most determined Arctic dilet-
tante by surprise. Enough, and far more than
enough, has been done. The Polar seas have been
ransacked in every possible direction which the
ingeituity of the most practised Arctic navigators
could suggest, or the courage and skill of our
choicest sailors could attain. We had long since
incurred no common share of obloquy by stating
that such must be the infallible result of the latter
expeditions. The question h -Id been practically
decided by the former voyages to Lancaster Sound
and Behring's Straits, and by the careful re-
searches which had been instituted on the
northern coast of America and the inclement dis-
tricts which lie over against them. For the pur-
pose of reducing Franklin's safety to an impossi-
bility six years were sufficient. The recent opera-
tions under the direction of Sir Edward Belcher,
and the desperate enterprise of Captains Collinson
and M'Clure, were not necessary to convince any
reasonable and unprejudiced mind that Franklin
and his gallant companions were far beyond human
help. It must be remembered that the despatch
of such expeditions as these upon so desperate a
service involves no slight responsibility for those
who suggest them, and for those who adopt the
suggestion. It was certain that the object for
which they were sent was well nigh visionary ; it
was certain, also, that the risk of life was enormous
to those who were consigned to the rigours of the
eternal ice.

There is an end, then—as we trust for ever—
to the further prosecution of such plans as those
which were carried out mainly at the instigation of
the late Sir John Barrow. The problem of the
north-west passage is solved just in the manner
that might have been expected, and the only in-
ference which can in fairness be drawn from the
solution is, that the discovery is perfectly useless
for all maritime or commercial purposes. Had the
same energy, the same skill, the same money been
devoted to some more rational object in quarters
of the globe fit for the habitation of man, what re-
sults might we not have obtained ! The two great
oceans of the world are still unconnected at Panama,
while since the year 1818 we have been driving
expedition after expedition up to the North Pole,
and have concluded the series of achievements by
the loss of poor Sir John Franklin, and the crews
of his two ships. The English whalers perhaps
may be induced hereafter to visit the waters to the
east of Spitzbergen in search of whales, but of
Arctic expeditions we have had more than enough.
—Times.

THE ARCTIC SEARCH.—We are informed that
no letters or despatches have yet been received by
the Admiralty from her Majesty's ship Amphitrite,
on her return from Behring's Straits, and there is
consequently no foundation for the statement that
there has been news from the Enterprise and In-
vestigator. The latest intelligence from the latter
ship had already reached us by Captain Inglefield,
and nothing more can be known of her until the
autumn of next year. Of the Enterprise no intelli-
gence has been received. It is also untrue that
the name of Sir John Franklin will be struck off
the books of the Admiralty, in order to make room
for that of Captain Chads. It is not to be supposed
that the Admiralty would contemplate such a step
while the issue, even of their own expeditions in
search of Sir John Franklin, is unknown.—Morn-
ing Chronicle.

SPANISH DEBT.—The Spanish Financial Commission
have advertised the 25th auction of the foreign re-
deemable debt to take place at Madrid on the 29th
inst., for which purpose 187,500 reals have been as-
signed by the Government.
ODESSA.—The mercantile advices from Odessa are to
the 2d inst., when the purchases of grain continued
upon an extensive scale and at full prices.