The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-02 00:00:00

sels so as to insure their realising 10 miles par hour ; and
this power we venture respectfully to hope you will not hesi-
tate promptly to exercise. As intimately connected with the
question of speed, we desire also to point out to you
that the present route followed by the Indo-Australian
steamers is devious, and that the distance and stoppages
ought at once to be diminished. To satisfy your lordship's
mind on this point, and to show you the results of a ten-
knot speed, we have had the distances between Melbourne
and England carefully calculated, and now submit for
your perusal a paper showing within what period the
voyage, doing away with unnecessary delays and devia-
tions, may reasonably be expected to be performed. You
will find that, after making every allowance for all
usual stoppages, if a direct course be followed, and
a ten-knot speed maintained, the mails may easily be
delivered in Melbourne within 44 days, and further,
that if the speed were increased to eleven knots, as we
submit it ought hereafter to be, the passage might be
effected within the 40 days. For the contents of this paper
we beg to bespeak your attentive consideration, remarking
that the elements of our calculation are derived from
official soirees and cannot be questioned, and that the
average passage by the shortest route, stated by the colo-
nists practically to occupy 70,4 i days, has never been per-
formed under 64 days.
"A memorial of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce,
recently addressed to the Lords of the Treasury on this
subject, so entirely coincides with our own views as to
speed and direct route, that we take the liberty of forward-
ing herewith a copy fer your perusal ; not doubting that it
will be read by you with the attention due to a document
emanating from so important a commercial association.
We have to add, that our letters inform us the Sydney and
Melbourne Chambers of Commerce were both preparing to
address the home Government on the same subject.
"The due approximation of Australia to the mother
country is a subject so intimately connected with the
future of both countries, that we believe it may be said to
constitute one of the most important subjects which can
come under your lordship's official consideration. In this
view, we therefore trust you will excuse the length of this
letter, as well as the earnestness with which we have
thought it our duty to press the subject on your attention.
"At the request of the committee,
" I have the honour to subscribe myself,
"My Lord,
" Your lordship's most obedient servant,
" JAMES DUKE, Chairman.
" Australian Postal Association Committee-
rooms, 60, Fenchurch-street, London,
Oct. 13, 1854."

THE AMJEICAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Second Grinnell Expedition, Brig Advance,
Baffin's Bay, July 14, 1854.
My dear —,—lt is with pleasure I comply with
your request, made upon leaving New York. After a
passage which only abounded with the usual incidents of
ocean life, we arrived upon the coast of Greenland, June
27th. The passage was a somewhat protracted one,
owing to the universal head winds and calms we en-
countered ; but, by wise foresight of the planners of the
expedition, we left New York with plenty of time on
our hands to guard against every contingency of delays,
and to make the best of whatever accidental circum-
stances might arise to favour an early and safe passage
to the scene of our labours.

The barrenness of " Greenland's icy mountains" has
long held a place in my imagination, but I was unpre-
pared for the absolute desolation which greeted us.
Peak after peak rose abruptly from the very water's edge,
and the interior seemed to be one continued waste of
snow-capped summits. Not a single foot of level land
or soil was to bb seen, and the rocks told a mournful
tale of sterility. Although water poured plentifully from
the hills, even the usual surface vegetation which fol-
lows our streams at home seemed entirely wanting. Why
it should have received the name of Greenland is a puzzle
to me.

Such as it is, however, with its vernal cognomen, it
was doubtless discovered and occupied by the early Ice-
landers and Norwegians ; and when the suspended in-
tercourse with the Old World gave rise to the fable of a
" lost Greenland" its discovery was due to Frobisher or
Cabot, those indomitable Arctic pioneers. To the efforts
of a single man—Hans Egede, "The Greenland Apos-
tle," as he is termed by the Lutheran Church—the
Greenland of the present century owes whatever it pos-
sesses of civilization with Christianity.
We made the coast near Godshalar, the scene of his
early labours, and I write from a point nearly opposite
that neatest and most flourishing of its settlements—
Egedsmunde, "the nunnery •f Eg,ed6."
On the 29th, being becalmed off Fiskenaes, we de-
spatched a boat by the fiord to look out for the town.
Returning soon with a pilotboat and crew from the go-
vernor, we stood in, and were in a short time in sight of
the first Greenland town I had yet seen. It was in
keeping with the scenery around. In the midst of Es-
quimaux huts rose the only mansion, the residence of
the governor, a most kind-hearted old gentleman, full of
• Scandinavian hospitality, and fond of his wife, his chil-
dren, and his pipe. The courtesies of his humble man-
sion were cordially extended to us, and after breaking
bread with his Excellency we felt quite as much at home
as on board of our little brig, from the cramped quar-
ters of which we were by no means sorry to be for a
short time relieved.
The official letters brought by our commander from
the Court of Denmark were anticipated by the cordial
kind feeling of the authorities.
Every care was extended to the expedition, and we
departed with a good supply of oodfish and an Esquimaux
hunter, whose kayack and lance are expected by Dr.
Kane to keep his dogs in food.
Sukkertoppen was our next port, a quiet little glen,
shut in by rocks, and looking quite cosy in its barren
solitude. Here in a single hour we laid in reindeer furs,
dogs, harness, and mocassins, filled our water-casks,
and stood out to sea.

At both these places, while my comrades were busily
engaged in hasty preparations for departure from port, I
made the best use of my time in collecting botanical
specimens. With botany-box and gun I made two sal-
lies at Fiskenaes and one at Tukkertoppen into the deep
mountaia gorffes, where the water, caused by the sun's
genial rays, had melted the snow that trickled down the
mountain sides, and at last found a resting place, around
which grew a highly interesting and quite luxuriant
flora. Upon the southern slopes I found the willows,
as if determined to force a living out of the world,
clinging apparently to the solid rock, and, though
stunted in growth, looking no less fresh than members
of the same family growing in our own rich soil. The
cuttings of these plants were found to be of very deficient
development. The same was also observed of the Ana-
, romida Tetrigona, one of the characteristic heaths of this
region. These circumstances seem to our commander
to indicate a backward summer, while the meteorological
returns obtained at Fiskenaes and Lichtenfels show a
winter of unusual mildness. The bergs, too, arc not
numerous, and he seems to expect we shall meet no floe
of ice until we reach Melville Bay.
Disco wo longed to visit—a longing which the sight
of &the high mountains only increased ; but the breeze, I
suppose, did not justify us in losing an inch of ground,
for we stood on to the northward, in expectation of
reaching the middle ice. But one thing more remains
—an increase of dogs—for deficiency of which wo are
humbly thankful, as but for that we should not see the
settlement of Proven.

Proven, July 20.
Proven is not unlike the settlements previously visited,
except that, in being further to the north, its inhabitants
are proportionately more poor and wretched. It is,
with one exception, the most northern of the Danish
settlements on the threshold of the great barrier of Mel-
ville Bay. The scenery around presents the same barren
picturesqueness characteristic of the Greenland coast.
Here resides the Royal inspector, a clever old Dane,
possessing a small fortune, obtained through his office,
an Esquitnaux wife, and good beer. His one-story man-
sion, looking almost as old as the kills, presented a
grand appearance beside the miserable huts of the na-
tives. Built as they are of stones, covered with sod or
moss for winter, and sealskins for summer, they look
more like the houses of burrowing animals than anything
human. Poor creatures !—their only pasture ground,
the sea, affords them occasionally an inadequate supply
of food, at which time their condition is truly deplorable.
It is the custom of the coast, brought from the father-
land, to set before the stranger the welcoming cup of
coffee, after partaking which, like the salt of the Arabs,
he may consider himself at home. This custom extends
from the governor's house to the native's hut—and good
coffee do they make. At the inspector's, signal credit is
due to our good Esquimaux hostess for her skill in
coffee-making, and the natural ease with which she did
the honours of the house.

We have here procured some 15 or 20 Esquimaux
dogs, but, as the number is less than half a supply, we
shall be obliged to stop at Uppernavik, 20 miles further
to the northward. These dogs are a necessary part of
an Esquimaux settlement, and seem to mingle with the
natives in about equal numbers, and in terms of the
greatest familiarity—living, in many cases, in the same
hut. One striking peculiarity I observed was their
huddling together, and tuning their pipes to the notes
of a chosen leader, who occupies the centres of the pack,
the whole settlement, young and old, set up a chorus,
loud and shrill, that lasts about five minutes.
Leaving Proven and the civilised world at our backs.
we shall in an hour be pushing forward to the scene of
our explorations. This is, as you are aware, Smith's
Sound. how far we shall be able to penetrate with our
vessel into this unknown region will depend upon the
point at which nature has thrown up her impenetrable
ice-barrier. its waters have only yet been sighted by
previous navigators of the region, and we have every
reason to hope that we may be able to conduct our ex-
ploration into this unknown and mysterious quarter of
our planet. Once arrived at the terminus of our voy-
age, winter quarters will be selected at a point protected
to the northward and westward some prominent head-
land against the floating ice in the early spring. In this
selection great experience and judgment are required ;
but in our commander's sagacity we have every conifi-
dence. Here we shall be frozen i❑ for the line long
winter months, during which period the search for
Franklin will be made.

For this search the most active preparations are going
on. Once at anchor, but few hours will expire before a
boat and sledge party will set out to continue that which
could not be accomplished with the vessel. This party
will consist of nine, all of whom have, I believe, been
selected, as all hands have volunteered ; but the doctor
is not very communicative as to his intentions, and we
are iu ignorance as to who will be its fortunate mem-