The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-19 00:00:00

on t ground that the defendant obtained his discharge
by misrepresent ttion, if not by fraud. There was no
case bearing upon the point, but the I...arned Counit.l
apprehended the Cuurt had the power of exercising an
equitable jurisdiction ever its own process, and he hoped
hi, Lordship would have nu difficulty in interfering in
tti,c..se.

much cut by the young ice which now bound the floes
together. The ground was covered with snow, 1,0
open water was visible from the highest capes, and
the winter appeared to have set in with rigour. I
found myself, therefore, reluctantly compelled to
abandon the beats, and to prosecute the journey to
our winter residence on Great Bear Lake, by land.
The pemican and ammunition were carefully con-
cealed for future use, the boats were hauled up on the
beach, and the party directed to prepare for the march.
The baggage, consisting of thirteen days' provisions,
cooking utensils, hatchets, astronomical instruments,
a few books, the ammunition, two nets with several
setting lines, Halkett's portable boat, a package of
dried plaets, my bedding, and a few articles of
clothing, were distributed by lot. Each man carried,
in addition to his assigned load, his own blanket,
mocassins, and such articles of clothing as he chose.
All were furnished with snow shoes. Mr. Rae
carri€ d the greatest part of his own bedding and spare
clothing.
We set out on the 31 of September, and on the
following day came to an encampment of Esquimaux.
They cheerfully ferried us across the mouth of a
wide river, which I named the Rae. We afterwards
crossed the Richardson in Lieut. Halkett's boat, and
following the line of the Coppermine, and of its
tributary, the Kendall, we gained a branch of De axes
River ; and on the thirteenth day reached our destined
quarters at Fort Confidence. - Our march through
half-frozen swamps, or over hills covered with snow,
was necessarily toilsome; but by keeping as much
as possible in the river valleys we had to pass only
one night without firing, for the purposes
of cookery. In a thick fog, during which
we were able to proceed in the proper direction by
compass, James Hope and his Indian companion, who
had been dispatched by Mr. Bell to meet us, lost
their way, and so missed us ; bet, on coming to our
trail on the Kendall, they perceived that we had
passed, and returned to Fort Confidence two days
after our arrival there.
In the voyage between the Mackenzie and Copper-
mine, I carefully executed their Lordship? instruc-
tions with respect to the examination of the coast line,
and became fully convinced that no ships had passed
within view of the mainland. It is, indeed, nearly
impossible that they could have done so unobserved
by some of the numerous parties of Esquimaux on
the lo k-out for whales. We were, moreover, in-
formed by the Esquimaux of Back's Inlet, that the
ice had been pressing on their shore nearly the whole
summer, and its closely packed condition when we
left it, on the 4th of September, made it highly
improbable that it would open for ship navigation
later in the season.
I regretted extremely that the state of the ice
tpirnievsecnotemdpreteinfgromin land,cornoessinsgeastoonWtohlelaswtohnole
schemeand
of their Lordship? instructions. The opening
between Wollaston and Victoria lands has always
appeared to me to possess great interest, for through
it the flood tide evidently sets into Coronation Gulf;
diverging to the westward by the Dolphin and Union
Strait, and to the eastward round Cape Alexander.
By the fifth clause of Sir John Franklin's instruc-
tions, he is directed to steer south-westward from
Cape Walker, which would lead him nearly in the
direction of the strait in question. If Sir John found
Barrow's Strait as open as when Sir Edward Parry
passed it on four previous occasions, I am convinced
that (complying as exactly as he could with his in-
structions, and withoutdooking into Wellington Sound,
or other openings either to the south or north of
Barrow's Strait), he pushed directly west to Cape
Walker, and from thence south-westwards. If so, the
ships were probably shut up in some of the passages
between Victoria, Banks, and Wollaston's lands.
This opinion, which I advocated in my former com-
munications, is rather strengthened by the laborious
journeys of Sir James Ross having disclosed no traces
of the missing ships.
Being apprehensive that the boats I left on the
coast would be broken up by the Esquimaux, and
being, moreover, of opinion that the examination of
the opening in question might be safely and effi-
ciently performed in the only remaining boat I had fit
for transport from Bear Lake to the Coppermine, I
determined to entrust this important service to Mr.
Rae, who volunteered, and whose ability and zeal in
the cause I cannot too highly commend. lie selected
an excellent crew, all of them experienced voyageurs,
and capable of finding their way back to Bear Lake
without guides, should any unforeseen accident
deprive them of their leader. In the month of
March (1849) a sufficient supply of pemican and
other necessary stores, with the equipments
of the boat, were transported over the snow
on dog sledges, to a navigable part of the
Kendall river, and left there under the charge of
two men. As soon as the Deese broke up in June,
Mr. Rae would follow with the boat, the rest of the
crew and a party of Indian hunters, and would des-
cend the Coppermine river about the middle of July,
at which time the sea generally begins to break up.
He would then, as soon as possible, cross from Cape
krusenstern to Wollaston, land, and endeavour to
penetrate to the northward, erecting signal columns
and making deposits on conspicuous headlands, and
especially on the north shore of Bank's land should he
be fortunate enough to attain that coast. He was further
instructed not to hazard the safety of his party by
remaining too long on the north side of Dolphin and
Union Strait, and to be guided in his movements by
the season, the state of the ice, and such intelligence
as he might obtain from the Esquimaux. He was,
moreover, directed to report his proceedings to their
Lordships immediately on his return, and should his
dispatches experience no delay on the route, they
may be expected in England in April or May next.
He was also requested to engage one or more families
of Indian hunters to pass the summer of 1850 on the
banks of the Coppermine River, to be ready to assist
any party that may direct their course that way.
With respect to the recommendation of additional
measures in furtherance of the humane views of their
Lordships, it is necessary to take into account the
time for which the discovery ships were provisioned.
Deer migrate over the ice in the spring from the
main shore to Victoria and Wollaston lands, in large
herds, and return in the autumn. These lands are
also the breeding places of vast flocks of mow geese;
so that with ordinary skill in hunting, a large supply
of food might be procured on their shores in the
months of June, July, and August. Seals are also
numerous in those seas and are easily shot,
their curiosity rendering them a ready prey
to a boat party. In these ways and by
fishing, the stock of provisions might be greatly aug-
mented. And we have the recent example of Mr.
Rae, who passed a severe winter on the very barren
shores of Repulse Bay, with no other fuel than the
withered tufts of a herbaceous andromeda, and main-
tained a numerous party on the spoils of the chase
alone for a whole year. Such instances forbid us to
lose hope. Should Sir John Franklin's provisions
became so far reduced as to be inadequate to a
winter's consumption, it is not likely that he would
remain longer by his ships, but rather that in one body,
or in several, the officers and crews, with boats cut down
so as to be light enough to drag over the ice, or built ex-
pressly for that purpose, would endeavour to make their
way eastward to Lancaster, Sound, or southwards
to the main land, according to the longitude in which
the ships were arrested. 1 would there beg leave to
suggest that the Hudson's Bay Company be authorised
and requested to promise liberal rewards to Indians
and Esquimaux who may relieve white men entering
their lands. Some parties of Esquimaux frequenting
the coast to the westward of the Mackenzie are in
the habit of passing the winter in the vicinity of the
Hudson's Bay Company's post on the Rat River
(a tributary of the Peel), and might be interested in the
cause by j udicious promises. The Russian Fur Company
have a post on the Yticon or Colville, which falls into
the Arctic Sea about midway between the Mackenzie
and Behring's Straits, and through their officers
similar offers might be made to the western Esqui-
maux. We know from the narrative of Sir John
Franklin's discovery of that coast, and also from the
subsequent voyage of Messrs. Dease and Simpson,
that the Esquimaux who frequent the estuary of
the Mackenzie meet those from Point Barrow, at an
intermediate point, for the purposes of barter; and
in this way intelligence of any interesting occurrence
is conveyed along the coast. The Russian post on
the Colville receives its supplies from a post in Norton
Sound, where it would be easy for any vessel bound
to Behring's Straits to land a communication. Mr.
Rae, having been appointed to the charge of the
Mackenzie River fur district, will give a proper
direction to the efforts of Indian hunters in that
quarter.

Mr. Justice PATTESJN having looked over the affida-
vits, obst recd that the application ought to be to set aside
the chscharg-, since the affidavits disclosed the fact that
at the period of the arrest the defendant was a privileged
person, and the arrest was therefore wrongfully made.
It was no doubt upon this representation that the plaintiff
signed the discharge, to avoid the trouble and expense of
a hTheas corpus; but it was quite clear it did not dis-
charge tha• debt. He would, under these circumstances,
grant a rule to show cause why the discharge should not
be li:eluded, hut the Court had no power to order the
p-. moat of the money.—Rule nisi accordingly.

TO LLANI)AFF.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

As it is thought by some, whose opinion I highly
value, that the discovery ships may have penetrated
to the westward in so high a latitude as not to come
within sight of the main land, I may further suggest
the desirableness of the examination of the western
coasts of Bank's and Parry's Islands, but as this
would require a ship expedition by way of Behring's
Straits, I must leave the discussion of the practica-
bility of such a scheme to the able executive officers
who have navigated the northern seas.

Having thus, Sir, in a more diffuse manner than
is usual in an official letter, but in accordance with
my sense of the deep interest felt on the subject, not
only by my Lords Commissioners, but by the nation
at large, and I may add by the whole civilized world,
recapitulated: the proceedings of the expedition, and
detailed my opinions, I have only to add, that after
the return of Mr. Rae and myself from the coast in
September, 1848, we devoted our leisure during the
winter to observations on the magnetic intensity and
force, with the uniplar magnetometer, and Dr. Lloyd's
inclinometer, and kept hourly registers for fourteen
hours each day of the declinometer, barometer, ther-
mometer, and wind vane.

In the beginning of May, 1849, Mr. Bell and I,
taking with us all the Europeans of the party then
remaining at the fort, and such of the Canadians as
were not to be employed with Mr. Rae on his summer
expedition, crossed Great Bear Lake on the ice, and

THE SUN LONDON MONDAY EVENING NOVEMBER 19 1849

when the navigation opened in June, ascended the
Mackenzie, and retraced my outward route. We
were stopped by ice on Great Slave Lake till the 11th
of July. On reaching Methy Portage, Mr. Bell
resumed his duties in the Company's service and I pro-
ceeded with the party. to _Norway Houle, where I
discharged the Canadians, whose term of engagement
had expired, and sent the seamen and sappers and
miners to York Factory, there to embark in the
Company's ship bound for England. I then continued
my voyage to Canada in a canoe, and after passing
two days at Montreal with Sir George Simpson in
examining the charges for supplies furnished to the
expedition, proceeded to Boston for embarkation in
the mail steamer.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedien
humble servant,

JOHN RICHARDSON, Med. Insp ,
Commanding the Arctic Searching Expedition

FALL OF SEVEN RAILWAY
ARCHES.

Yesterday (Sunday) morning, about half-past seven
o'clock, the inhabitants of Camden and Kentish Towns
were alarmed by a noise of a most extraordinary
character, the result of the falling of no less than
seven of the newly-constructed stupendous arches of
the East and West India Dock and Birmingham
Junction Railway. The spot where the occurrence
took place is situate on the western side of the Kentish.

own road, and but a short distance from the junction
of the line with the London and North-Western
Railway at the Camden- town station. It appears that
the contractor for this portion of the line is Mr. Hicks,
and on Saturday night the whole of the works were
left in an apparently safe condition. About half-
past five o'clock the watchntan on duty was alarmed
by hearing a cracking noise, as he thought, proceed
from the arches, and, as the noise continued and in-
creased, he felt it his duty to send for Mr. Stansfield,
the foreman of the works, and on the arrival of
that gentleman he observed there was an evident set-
tlement and cracking of some of the arches. About
the time above-mentioned the seventh arch from the
bridge which crosses the Kentish-town-road gave way,
and the six others followed in rapid succession, and
with a fearful crash. The greatest fears were enter-
tained that the stupendous arch which crosses the
Kentish-town-road would follow, but the solidity of
the structure, with the exception of a slight cracking
of the brickwork on the western side, withstood the
shock, though the state of the arch is considered suffi-
ciently dangerous to induce the contractors to adopt
the precaution of preventing either foot passengers or
vehicles passing under it, barriers having been erectd
and police stationed on either side to stop them. The
arches which have fallen are of from 20 to 30 feet
span, and the first symptoms of cracking observed was
in the face of the spandril walls. It was rumoured
that the accident had resulted from a too speedy strik-
ing of the centres of the arches, but on instituting
inquiries it was ascertained that this was not the
fact, the centres, which were removed about eight
or nine days ago, having remained up for more than
one month under each of the fallen arches after com-
pletion. The contractors and others are wholly
unable to account for the catastrophe, as they allege
that the construction was upon the most approved
principle and pf the best materials and workmanship.
It is a fortunate circumstance that the occurrence took
place at the time it did, or the loss of life might have
been immense, a large number of workmen being on
week-days employed in placing the ballast over the
arches, and others in erecting the mas3ive stonework
cornices along the spandril walls. Moreover, on Satur-
day slight, at six o'clock, Mr, Hicks's men, 70 or 80 in
number, were paid in a small wooden countinghouse
under the very arch which first gave way, and were
there assembled to receive their money. Had the
fall taken place at that time the loss of life would
have been immense. The damage sustained by the
occurrence is estimated at about 2,0001. News of
the occurrence soon spread throughout the northern
districts of the metropolis, and, notwithstanding the
,1
state of the weather, the spot was visited by hundreds
of persons.

THE RECENT APPOINTMENT

SlR,—The recent appointment of Dr. 011ivant to

the see of Llandaff has painfully disappointed the just
expectation of the Welsh people—not of Welsh
churchmen only, but of men of all denominations,
who, loving their country, trusted to the force
of awakening public opinion as a means of obtaining
from the executive Government the practical recog-
nition of the generally accepted principle—that the
religious instructors of every country must be
thoroughly acquainted with its vernacular tongue
and habits of thought. _ _ _

The learning and amiable qualities of Dr. 011ivant
are duly estimated in Wales, and it is believed there
that his superficial acquaintance with the Welsh
language may possibly suffice to aid him in certain
particulars of his duty as an episcopal ruler; but for
the proper exercise of those important ministerial
functions which belong to his high office, that
acquaintance is:well known to be utterly indequate ;
while be confessedly wants, and must ever want,
that inborn aptitude for understanding and sympa-
thising with the peculiar character of the people
which only native Welshmen can possess.
This appointment of a clergyman nominally quali-
fied for filling a Welsh bishopric is evidently intended
as an offering at the shrine of public opinion, though
it proves, indeed, a poor and unacceptable one.
If the affairs of Wales and the Welsh Church
should ever be honoured by Government Ministers
with earnest consideration, it must certainly appear
as obvious to them as it now does to the true and
anxious friends of the Welsh Church, that after the
inefficiency of such nominal qualifications for the
exercise of clerical functions in Wales has been so
fully exposed and deprecated, by the recent and
public avowal of the late Bishop of Llandaff and the
present Bishop of St. David's, it is much too late for
prudential expediency to sit up anti enthrone the dis-
carded fallacy in an episcopal form.
Trusting that, on a future occasion, you will afford
me space for some additional remarks upon the past
and present condition of the Welsh Church,
I am, Sir, &c., GORBONIAN.

AMERICAN NEW".-

LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY MORNING.
By the royal mail steamship Europa, Captain
Lott, we have advices from New Yoik to the 6th,
Boston to the 7th, and Halifax to the 9th instant
respectively.
The Hibernia, hence, arrived at New York on the
sth inst., and the Cambria at Halifax on the 9th inst.
The removal of the Government from Montreal to
Toronto had greatly increased the value of house
property in the latter place. It was said that Colonel
Tache, now Commissioner of Public Works, would
take the place of Mr. Viger as Receiver-General, and
that the vacancy caused by his transfer would be
filled by Mr. Merritt, President of the Council. Mr.
Carlin was spoken of for President, and Mr. Cameron
for Postmaster-General.
A Quebec journal contains a letter from Mr.
Papineau, arguing in favour of annexation with the
United States. The Toronto Globe had published a
declaration, signed by 2,000 persons, expressive of a
warm attachment to Ergland.
The Government had directed all colonels of mili-
tia to report to the Adjutant General the names of
the officers who had signed the annexation address.
The meeting of the British American League at
Toronto is said to have been a failure, there not
being above eighty members present. It was re-
solved to petition the Queen fur a return of protection.
Mr. Hincks, Inspector. General of Canada, in a
letter dated Toronto, October 22, gives his opinion of
the annexation question as follows :
"I feel assured that you will not require any apology
at my hands for addressing you on a topic which, most
unfortunately for the interests of our beloved country,
has been lately agitated in some parts of the province,
but especially in the city of Montreal. I refer to the
proposition that has been formally made to the people of
Canada, to consider the expediency of seeking a change
in their political condition. I believe that I am war-
ranted in asserting that, setting aside those questions
which our own Parliament has full power to settle, the
single cause of discontent among our people at this mo-
ment springs from the restrictions imposed by
the United States on the admission of our staple
products into her markets. I have had an
opportunity, since my return from England,
of conversing with persons acquainted with public
opinion in various parts of Upper Canada, and all seem
to agree that the inconsiderate cry for annexation would
be at once stifled by the establishment of reciprocal free
trade with the United States. I regretted, however, to
find a very prevalent opinion that the United States
would never make the concession. This annexation
movement is, of course, not calculated to assist the
efforts of those who are labouring with all their ener-
gies to remove the grievances under which the agricul
turists of this province are suffering. It would be in-
expedient, as well as it would be improper for me, in a
communication of this kind, to state what has been
done, or what is now doing, in this matter, but I think
it highly important that it should be generally under-
stood that the Imperial Government is thoroughly sen-
sible of the importance of having the free admission of
our products into the American markets; and I do not
hesitate to state it as my firm conviction that we
have every reason to look forward, not only with
hope, but with confidence, to the speedy attainment
of our object. The course taken by certain parties
in Montreal is calculated to injure most deeply the
best interests of the province. The demand for an-
nexation is founded on an entire misapprehension
as to the state of public opinion in England. The
generous sentiments expressed by English states-
men, to the effect that they had no desire to retain the
colonies against the wishes of their inhabitants, have
been construed into indifference as to the permanency of
the connexion, an indifference which is most assuredly
not felt by any numerous party in England; not only
are the leading statesmen of the political parties into
which the people of that great country are divided most
favourable to the subsisting connexion, but the warmest
advocates of colonial reform—such men as Mr. flume,
Sir William Molesworth, and Mr. Roebuck—would view
with deep regret the success of such a movement as that
contemplated by certain parties at Montreal. It would,
indeed, be mortifying to the friends of liberal government
everywhere, should it turn out that the concession of the
most ample powers of self-government to the most im-
portant colony of the empire should have the effect, not
of strengthening the bonds of affection to the mother
country, but of rudely severing them for ever. It seems
probable that the first struggle between the annexation-
fists and the friends of British connection will take place
in your riding. Having lately had an opportunity of
ascertaining the views of leading statesmen in England,
both with regard to the connexion and to the question
of reciprocal free trade with the United States, I
have felt that at such a crisis I should be wanting
in duty to my country were I to withheld them. It is,
moreover, due to the friends of the Administration
throughout the province, whose generous support has
placed us in our present responsible position, that no
misunderstanding should exist as to our views. Those
views have been sufficiently explained in Mr. Baldwin's
letter to Mr. Perry. They are entertained by every
member of the present Administration, and will be car-
ried out by us in office, provided we are supported by
those with whom we have hitherto acted. If,
on the other hand, we should be deserted by
those whose confidence has hitherto sustained us, we
have a plain duty to perform to our Sovereign and our
country, which is to sustain any Administration favour-
able to British connexion, which can command a larger
share of public confidence than ourselves."
The article in the Times of the 13th ult. relative to
the Nicaragua question had attracted great attention
at Washington. The New York Herald, in an article
touching upon this question, mentions that a serious
demonstration was about to be roade by the United
States Government against England, on the feelowing
grounds :

" On the Monro doctrine, concerning the interference
of European powers with the affairs or the American
continent, and on the principle that neither Great Bri-
tain nor the so .called King of Mosquito have any rights,
and never asserted any, to the Mosquito territory, but,
on the contrary, that all the right and title to that por-
tion of Nicaragua territory is in the State of Nicaragua
along, and consequently her grant of certain privileges
to American citizens connected with the port of San Juan
and of the river San Juan, by the Government of Nica-
ragua, is good against the wh)le world."

The New York Tribune, treating of the tariff
question, says—
" It is understood that an attempt will be made to re-
vive the tariff at the approaching session of Congress,
but the success is doubtful. A strong effort will be made
to change the system of Customs from ad valorem to
specific, as the complaints are general from the mercan-
tile community of the unequal working of the present
system."

- The royal mail steam-ship Teviot arrived at Mo-
bile on the 27th ult. from Vera Cruz, whence she
sailed on the 22th ult. On her passage the Teviot
experienced extremely boisterous weather, and when
off Vera Cruz was prevented from all communication
with the shore for six days by a severe " norther."
She had on freight for England 450,000 dollars in
specie, 112,000 dollars of which were on account of
the Mexican dividend ; also 192 hales of cochineal.
Her dates from the city of Mexico reach to the 13th
of October.

" On the 28th of September it was discovered by the
Government that a great number of military officers had
left the city of Mexico with thg:,intention of proceeding
to Toluca, where arrangements bad been made for a
general insurrection against the Government. In con-
sequence of the intelligence received by the Government,
a great number of arrests were made in the city of
Mexico on the night of the 28th. Government imme-
diately sent off a troop of 200 men, with three pieces of
artillery, to the scene of action."
The shock of an earthquake was felt at the city of
Mexico on the 28th of September ; a severe shock
was also experienced at Cordova on the 25th. The
insurrection of the Sierra Gordo was at an end. A
terrible disease called the " bobo" had appeared at
Vera Cruz. it is represented as being more fatal
than cholera.

Prom the Mexican papers it appears that the com-
pany to whom the Mexican Government had granted
the right of constructing a railroad across the Isth-
mus of Tehuantepec were proceeding as rapidly as
possible with the preliminary arrangements. Before
five years, the probability is there will be three con-
nexions between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,
viz , the Panama railroad, the Tehuantepec railroad,
and the Ship Canal on the Nicaragua route.
We have news from Yucatan to the 9th ult., con-
taining intelligence of the assassination of Jacinto
Pat, the leader of the Indian insurgents.
At Baltimore there was some talk of establishing a
line of first-class steamers to run between that port
and Liverpool. The proposition is said to meet
with considerable favour from the mercantile com-
munity.
Some of the emigrant ships had lost a great
number of their passengers. The ship Michael
Angelo, which left Liverpool on the 2d ult., arrived
at Boston at the 3d instant, having lost twenty-five
passengers. The ship Berlin, hence to New Orleans,
arrived at that port with the loss of 43 out of 200
passengers.
We have accounts from Venezuela to the 21st of
October. A general amnesty had been granted by
Monagas's Government to all who were implicated in
the late insurrection, except General Paez and a few
other prominent leaders, who are to be expelled from
the country. The business prospects of the country
were of a highly encouraging character. Coffee was
scarce and in active demand, an advance of 3c. per
pound having taken place, which enhanced the value
of the entire coffee crop from 3,000,000 dolls. to
4,000,000 dolls., and consequently will greatly increase
the exports from the United States to Venezuela
during the ensuing year.
From Hayti we learn that the port Miragoane was
closed to all foreign vessels by proclamation of the
Emperor, on the 13th ult. Coffee was plentiful and
high, but, owing to the monopoly law, the holders
would not put it in the market. Logwood was in
good demand, at rather higher rates.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, Nov. 6. Since the departure of the
Niagara, the demand for all leading aecaritiea lam been