The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-27 00:00:00

THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION;
Dispatches have been received at the Admiralty
from Captain Kellett, C 8., of her Majesty's ship
Herald, dated at sea, the 14th of October, 1850, on
his return from Behring Straits. The Herald had
communicated with her Majesty's ship Plover, on the
10th of July, at Chamisso island, where the Plover
had passed the preceding winter. The two ships pro-
ceeded to the northward until they sighted the pack
ice, when the Herald returned to Cape Lisburne in
quest of Captain Collinson's expedition, and on the
31st fell in with her Majesty's ship Investigator,
which had made a surprisingly short passage of
twenty-six days from the Sandwich Islands. The
Herald remained cruising off Cape Lisburne, and
again fell in with the Plover on the 13th of August,
on her return from Point Barrow, Commander Moore
having coasted in his boats, and minutely examined
the several inlets as far as that point from Icy Cape,
without gaining any intelligence of the missing ex-
pedition. Commander Moore and his boat's crew
had suffered severely from exposure to cold. Captain
Kellett, having fully victualled the Plover, ordered
her to winter in Grantley Harbour (her former an-
chorage at Chamisso Island not being considered
safe), and then returned to the southward on his way
to England.
Dispatches have also been received from Captain
Collinson, C. 8., of her Majesty's ship Enterprise,
aed Commander M'Clure, of her Majesty's ship
Investigator, of which the following are copies :
" Her Majesty's ship Enterprise,
" Port Clarence, Sept. 13, 1850.
" Sir,—l have the honour to transmit an account of
the proceedings of her Majesty's ship under my com-
mand since leaving Oahu, on the 30th of June.
"Being delayed by light winds we only reached the
western end of the Aleutian Chain by the 20th of July,
and made the island of St. Lawrence on the 11th of Au-
gust, from whence I shaped a course for Cape Lisburne,
in anticipation of falling in with the Herald or the
Plover. Not, however, seeing either of these vessels,
and finding nothing deposited on shore, I went on to
Wainwright Inlet, the last rendezvous appointed. Here
we communicated on the 15th, and being alike unsuc-
cessful in obtaining any information, I stood to the
north made the ice the following morning, and reached
the latitude 72 deg. 40 min. N. in the meridian of 159
deg. 30 min. W. without serious obstruction.
Here, however, the pack became so close that it was
impossible to make way in any direction except
to the southward. Having extricated ourselves
by noon on the 19th, we continued to coast along the
edge of the resin body, which took a south-easterly
trend, running through the loose streams, so as not to
lose sight of tight pack. At 4 A.M., on the 20th, we
were in the meridian of Point Barrow, and 28 miles to
the north of it, when we found open water to the N.E.,
in which we sailed, without losing sight of the ice to the
north until the morning of the 21st, when we were ob-
structed by a heavy barrier trending to the SW. A
thick fog coming on we made a board to the north, in
order to feel the pack edge in the upper part of the bight,
and not to leave any part unexplored. Having satisfied
myself that no opening existed in this direction, we bore
away to the south, running through heavy floes closely
packed, and pushing to the estward when opportunity
offered. la this, however, we were unsuccessful,
being compelled to pursue a westerly course, the floes
being very heavy and hummocky. By eight P.M. we
were within thirty miles of the land, and having clear
weather, could sue the ice closely packed to the south,
that left no doubt in my mind that a atop was
put to our procesdlng in this direction, by the ice
butting so close on the shoal coast as to leave no chance
that our progress along it would justify the attempt to
reach Cape Bathurst, a distance of 570 miles, during the
remaining portion of this season; and finding this opi-
nion was coincided in by those officers on board qualified
to form an opinion on the subject, I determined to lose
no time in communicating with Point Barrow, but to
attempt the passage further north, in hopes that the
lane of water seen last year by the Herald and Plover
would afford me an opening to the eastward. I therefore
reluctantly proceeded again to the west, and turning the
pack edge 15 miles further to the south than it was on
the day after we left Wainwright Inlet, we followed the
edge of a loose pack greatly broken up until we reached
163 deg. W. longitude, when it took a sudden turn to
the north, in which direction we followed it until the
morning of the 27th, when we were in latitude 73 deg.
20 min., and found the pack to the westward trend-
ing southerly. 1 therefore plied to the eastward, en-
deavouring to make way, but such was its close con-
dition that we could not work, although we might
have warped through had the condition of the ice in
that direction afforded us any hope; but this, I am sorry
to say, was not the case, and, on the contrary, the fur-
ther we entered the larger the floes became, leaving us
in thick weather often in great difficulty where to find a
lane. Oa the 29th the th qua Aneter had fallen to 28 deg.,
and there being no prospect of our being able to accom-
plish anything towards the fulfilment of their Lordships'
instructions this season, I bore away for Point Hope,
where I arrived on the 31st, and found a bottle deposited
by the Herald, which informed me that it was intended
to pace the Plover in Grantley Harbour this season. I
accordingly proceeded thither, with the view of taking
her place for the winter end enabling Commander Moore
to recruit his ship's company by going to the southward.
On my arrival I found her inside preparing her winter
quarters, and having examined and buoyed the bar, I at-
tempted to take this vessel inside, but failed in doing so,
owing to the change of wind from south to north having re-
duced the depth of water four feet, and bad to relieve the
ship of 100 tons, which was quickly done by the opportune
arrival of the Herald, before she was released from a very
critical position. The tides being irregular, the rise and
fall depending principally on the wind, and that wind
which occasions the highest water producing a swell on
the bar, it became a question whether a considerable
portion of the ensuing season might not be lost in get-
ting the ship out of Grantley Harbour, and on consulting
Captains Kellett and Moore, finding it to be their opinion,
founded on the experience of two years, that the whalers
coming from the south pass through the straits early in
June, whereas the harbours aro blocked until the middle
of July, I have come to the conclusion that I shall
better perform the important duty confided in me by re-
turning to the south, and replenishing my provisions,
in-
stead of wintering on the Asiatic shore, where there is
not a prospect of our being the slightest use to the mis-
sing expedition. It is there fore my intention to procc cd
to Hong-Kong, it being nearer than Valparaiso, and the
cold season having set in, my stores and provisions will
not be exposed to the heat of a double passage through
the tropics; and as I shall not leave until the Ist of
April, 1 may receive any further instructions your Lord-
ships may please to communicate.
" The Plover has been stored and provisioned, and
such of her crew as are not in a fit state to contend with
the rigour of a further stay in these latitudes have been
removed and replaced by Captain Kellett, and the para-
graphs referring to her in my instructions fulfilled.
" I have directed Commander Moore to communicate
annu sily with an island in St. Lawrence Bay, in
latitude 65 deg. min. N., and longitnde 176 dog. 43 min.
W., which is much resorted to by the whalers, and
where any communication their Lordships may be
pleased to send may be deposited by them, as they are
not in the habit of cruising on this side of the straits; and
I have requested Captain Kellett to forward to the Ad-
miralty all the information on this head he may obtain
at the Sandwich Islands.

" It is my intention to proceed again to the north, and
remain in the most eligible position for affording assist-
ance to the Investigator, which vessel having been
favoured with a surprising passage from the Sandwich
Islands, was fallen in with by the Herald, on the 31st of
July, off Point Hope, and again, on the sth of August,
by the Plover, in hit. 70 deg. 44 min. N., and lon. 159
deg. 52 min. W., when she was standing to the north
under a press of sail, and in all probability reached the
vicinity of Point Barrow 15 days previous to the Enter-
prise, when Captain M'Clure, having the whole season
before him, and animated with the determination so
vividly expressed in his letter to Captain Kellett, has
most likely takun the inshore route, and I hope before
this period reached Cape Bathurst; but as he will be
exposed to the imminent risk of being forced on a shoal
shore and compelled to take to his boats, I shall not
forsake the coast to the northward of Point Hope until
the season is so far advanced as to insure their having
taken up their winter quarters for this season.
I have received from my officers and ship's com-
pany that assistance and alacrity in the performance of
their duty which the noble cause inwhich we are engaged
must excite, and I have the satisfaction to report, that
(under the blessing of God), owing to the means their
Lordships have supplied in extra clothing and provisions,
we are at present without a man on the sick list, not-
withstanding the lengthened period of our voyage.
" I have, &c.,
"RICHARD COLLINSON, Captain.
"The Secretary of the Admiralty."
"Her Majesty's discovery-ship, Investigator,
"At sea lat. 51 deg. 26 min. N. long. 172 deg. 35 min. W.,
" July 20, 1850.
" Sir,—As I have received instructions from Captain
Collinson, C. 8., clear and unembarrassing (a copy of
which I enclose), to proceed to Cape Lisburne in the
hope of meeting him in that vicinity, as he anticipates
being detained a day or two by the Plover in Kotzebue
Sound, it is unnecessary to add that every exertion shall
be made to reach that rendezvous, but I can scarce
venture to hope that even under very favourable
circumstances I shall be so fortunate as to accomplish
it ere the Enterprise will have rounded that Cape, iH
from her superior sailing she hitherto having beaten us
by eight days to Cape Virgins, and from Magellan..
Straits to Oahu six. It is, therefore, under the probable
case that this vessel may form a detached part of tiilioee:. _
pedition that I feel it say duty to state, for the trthe
tion of the Lords Commissioners of the Adßia.trro 7,
course which, under such a contingency, I shall endeavour
to pursue, and have to request that you will lay the ler
same before their Lordships.
I. After passing Cape Lisburno, it Is my intention
which,
to keep in the open water,rn:,
aboutfrom
this season of theom the different re-
ports that I have read, appears
year to make between the American coast and the main
pack as far to the eastward as the 130 dogs. meridian,
unless a favourable opening should earlier appear in the
ice, which would lead me to infer that I Eight push more
directly )344103 LAO, which I thick of the utmost