The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-31 00:00:00

LIABILITIES.

Capital ... . • ... £67,900,000 0
Ditto of the Branch Banks 23,350,000 0
Reserve fund ... 10,000,000 0
Ditto of tho branch banks ... 2,980,750 14
Reserve-immobiliero
..• 4,000000 0
Notes to bearer, in circulation 456,500,600 0
Ditto of the branch banks ... 126,543,375 0
Ditto to order (post-bills) 8,717,666
Account-current with Treasury creditor 57,768,844 16
Various accounts current ... 116,415,987 93
Ditto in branches 31,245,278 0
Bills payable at sight ... 9,748,(00 0
Ditto at branches ... 3,833,995 0
Dividends payable ••• • . ••• 296,853 25
Liquidation of the Algiers Bank ... 6,790 0
Expenses anticipated ... ... 408,989 94
Discounts, interest, and expenses ... 3,897,002 53
67,495 0
monC—hs 1 8,450 0
IDI
ei tdoi
soefe
abranch
tbankss t
s..i
x.
Ditto in branch banks .. ... 24:3,186 0
Interest on protested bills 805,425 9
••• •••
Iliscellaneoua 670,331 17
_ •••

C9i5,579,019 23
Certified by
IYARCOUT.
It appears from the account that the cash
the Governor of the Bank,
in hand has increased precedingy,,00E Tho commercial
bills discounted have increased by 2,300,000 F. The
Bank notes in circulation have increased by 19,500,000 f.
The balance to the credit of the Treasury has decreased
by 12,450,000 E The sundry credits have increased by
9,000,000 f.

FRANKLIN AND THE CLAIRVOYANTES.
Professor Gregory has favoured us with the follow-
ing additional particulars concerning Clairvoyant
" revelations" in regard to Sir John Franklin—the
professor, however, is not to be Anderstood as placing
implicit confidence in the accuracy of the state-
ments :

" I have made repeated inquiries concerning
Franklin, both in the case of Emma, at Bolton, and
of another clairvoyante who appeared to see cor-
rectly.

" in August last both these clairvoyan tee, unknown
to each other, agreed in stating that the ships were
fixed in the ice, that Sir John was alive, looking
anxious and thoughtful, and that a good many of his
companions had died since I had last inquired.
One of the clairvoyantes (if not both) said
that they had found provisions, and that
some had died in consequence ; either from
a sudden change to full diet or from these
provisions boiofir unsound in quality, but at all
events soon after finding these provisions. Whether
these provisions were those left lately for them, or
possibly part of the stores of Ross's old lost ships
which Emma had often Been at no great distance
from Franklin, I could not ascertain. From Captain
Austin's account of his expedition, it would seem
that Emma had seen and described his ice boats,
which Dr. Haddock could not then understand.
"My impression from all I saw of Emma is, that
she described genuine visions, probably in some cases
true visions of the facts ; but possibly, now and then,
dreams spontaneously suggesting themselves, al-
though I cannot be sure of this. Certainly we
avoided all suggestions ; and when we asked her
about various matters we observed that she often
persisted in answers quite different from what we
thought of or expected, and also refused to go
further than she clearly saw. She often spoke of her
own accord, of the aurora, and always as of a bril-
liant arch or rainbow of light, playing with beautiful
colours, quite different from what is seen in our lati-
tude. She likewise suffered from the cold every
time she was tried with the writing of any one in
the Arctic) regions, even when she did not know what
writing was put into her hand. Her notion of the
time seems to have been, as far as we can see, exact ;
and where she has been less certain, it has, I sus-
pect, depended on her seeing various ships, while
we supposed her to speak only of Franklin's. It will
be remembered that in February, 1850, she saw
Franklin reading prayers on a Sunday morning, and
named the chapter of St. Mark which he read. It is
remarkable that the Gospel of St. Mark is read during
the first part of February in the Church of England
service, as will be seen by the calendar. The 13th Feb-
ruary was Sunday in 1850, and I know it was about
that period of the month Emma saw this. Now, on the
13th February, the 13th chapter of St. Mark is a morn-
ing lesson for the day. I cannot at present state with
certainty whether that was the chapter named by
Emma, but, as well as I can recollect, it was either
the 13th or 14th. This is certainly remarkable, the
more so as both Emma and Dr. Haddock are Pres-
byterians, and she has no idea of the calendar. I
have had several excellent opportunities of examin-
ing Emma since I published my Letters,' and I have
also seen and repeatedly examined three other clair-
voyantes, besides several whom I have only seen on
one occasion ; and from the results of these trials I
could quote many very striking instances of clair-
voyant vision, as well as of the instinct or sympathy
by which they detect the bodily state of others, besides
various other forms of sympathy. The more I see
the more fully am I satisfied of the existence of a phy-
sical external influence, while I also admit that one
large class of phenomena, those of suggestion, do not
depend on that influence."—Ediaburgh Advertiser.

LOVE IN A TUB versus LOVE IN LIQUOR.—An
abridgement, or rather a pocket edition of that " chiefest"
work of nature, called " man," and known by the amatory
title of Jemmy Love, appeared before the magistrates
Ci-
renster, at the late petty sessions, charged by his of
with having burned, beat, and otherwise ill-used her_ ando
the children. Elizabeth Love, the
el-
bows in the muds,wife, deposedo th.aothaebr utnine o'clock on the previous Saturdeye,, drunk, and t
con-
tent with abusing her vilely, an anpd not better half
" JeeraB3" came,i home
her everything but
liquid, and beat her
" a lady," he pulled out the reeking clothes from the froth-
inged between five and six o'clock,
left the house, but about the ce with them. He then
reertinined on a broil, seized the youngest
and, apparantly
child and threw it
In the
.fire. He also kicked and beat his
. partner, and, having locked the door, threatened to
domestic h," and immolate " the whole boiling of
"settle her
‘"eal, • by the screams of the terrified family. Sarah
4h ~ by setting fire to the plaee, which he was only pre-
vented doing
Love, one of the children, corroborated the evidence of her
mother,
fand stated that on her merely saying she hoped he
would be sent to prison for his bad conduct, he pushed her
under the grate, and burned her head. The bench, thinking
that " love" may sometimes be too warm, sentenced the
culprit to pay a fine of Si. or two months' imprisonment in
the House of Correction at Northleach.—Cheltenham Journal.
WAGES A CENTURY SINCE.—The following is an
extract from a letter dated Bedale, Yorkshire, sth September,
1766 :—" Harvest is now pretty busy with us in many parts
of this neighbourhood. Is. 6d. a day is given for labourerm,
which in this part is looked upon as extravagant wages.
The wheat is in general very good, and prodigious crops.
Turnips this year will also be very good and plentiful—in
short, never was known, I believe, such plenty of all kind'
of fodder; but, on the other hand, so great a scarcity of
cattle to eat it. Beef and mutton in our market still con-
tinue at 31/2d. per lb., and if is confidently
affirmed, by
judges in the case, won't be much lower this year. Best
wheat in our market last Tuesday, notwithstanding the good-
ness of the harvest, was near 6s. a bushel."
The silver brought by the last
was sold yesterday, without alterat in price, for exporta•
tion to the East Indies. West India packet
ion

Mr. James Barnett, of this town, was killed on the
Great Northern hallway, on Wednesday, by his head coming
in contact with some stonework, as the train was passing
beneath an archway:Cheltenham Journal.
says the Ipswich Express, a
On Friday night,
gentleman, said to be from Bury, accidentally walked into
the basin of the Stowmarket navigation, where he became
immersed in five or six feet of water. He was extricated
from his perilous position by some men, whom he generously
rewarded with a coin of the realm called sixpence!

'FILE ARCTIC EXP EDITION.
EVIDENCE OF CAPTAIN PENNY.
The Chairman—The committee wish me to. say in
the first instince that there is not the slightest in-
tention on the part of this committee to bring any
accusation or crimination against any of the officers
of the expedition. They aro quite certain that you
have all acted to the best of your ability during the
expedition with which you were connected. We are
about to inquire rather with a view to the future
than the past, although our inquiries must naturally
embrace the past as well as the future. There is
nothing alleged either against you or Captain Aus-
tin. We are anxious that that circumstance should.
be perfectly understood in the course of the proceed-'
ings to-day. The first question we should like to
ask you is, upon what grounds you consider it would
have been practicable to proceed further in the Wel-
lington Straits during the autumn of this year?
Captain Penny—l have to state that the ice was
broken up in Wellint44.§traits as far on the 25th
day of July, 1851, as if was on the Bth of Sep-
'ternber last year. At the time we left that country
it was too early to decide whether the channel would
clear away or not. We could have stopped there
one month lonr,;er, and had strong north-east winds
Come it woulai have cleared away the ice through
Queen Victoria's Channel. By having a steamer up
at the edge of the ice in Wellington Strait we could
have be,en watching for suJle an event. Do you
? as they say I sometimes Put in a word
th/6 completely changes the sense of a sentence.
Chairman—We quite understand you ? Now, tell
us your own opinion a 3 to the probability of the ice
clearing away ? Captain Penny—l have seen as
great changes take place in forty-eight hours with a
strong favourable wind in that country.
Chairman—At what date did you see the edge of
that barrier last ? Captain Penny—On the 25th of
July. After that, about the 14th of August, Captain
Austin passed over Wellington Channel. I did not
see the bar later than the 2ith of July. In the year
1850, on the 9th of September, from thirteen to fif-
tc en miles oLice came out of that channel.
Chairman—You had better not remark upop Cap-
tain Austin's proceedings, as we shall hear him
afterwards. It was in 1850 you saw what you have
described ? Captain Penny—l will tell you. Last
year in crossing this channel we left Beechey Island
to cross over to the west side of the channel ; it came
on thick with a strong northerly wind, and we were
obliged to make fast to the ice. A. strong northerly
wind came on, and from thirteen to fifteen miles of
ice broke away and drove out of the channel, and I
passed to the northward of this floe of ice. Captain
Austin was on the south side of this floe, and I was
en the other ; this floe left fifteen miles of water be-
hind ir.
Chairman—That was on the Bth and 9th Septem-
ber of last year, 1850 ? Captain Penny—l merely
niention it to show how rapidly changes take place.
Chairman—Do you believe the channel cleared at
all last year ? Captain Penny—l do not think it did.
It was my opinion, as well as the officers whom I
requested to examine the ice, that fifteen miles of old
ice remained in that channel.
Sir E. Parry—l think you said in your evidence at
Woolwich that about fifteen miles of ice were left at
the last time ? Captain Penny--Yes ; Dr. Suther-
land was the officer who
was appointed to examine
that ice, and it was his opinion also that fifteen miles
remained.
Chairman—Do you say that in 1850 the channel
was never opened at all ? Captain Penny—Such is my
opinion.
Ciaairunan—Was there any possibility of a vessel
going up the Channel last year ? Captain Penny—
No possibility of any.
In reference to some conversation which took place,
The Chairman said—l think it would be conve-
rient if you were to ;distinguish the two channels,
Qaeen Victo-zia's Channel from the Wellington
Strait, or sovae confusion may ensue.
Sir E. Parry—lt is a very important thing to make
the disti•dction. Wellington Strait may be compared
to the door into the Queen's Channels shown on your
chart ; but those channels should. not be called Wel-
Ilnreton Strait.
Chairman—Have you any reason to say, of your
own knowledge, that a passage for a ship has been
,pened into this channel ? Captain Penny—l have
.o doubt of its having been opened, but I cannot say
of my own knowledge.
Chairman—But from your own observation, as an
experienced man, you have come to the conclusion
you have stated? Captain Penny—l should say that
once in two years this channel is opened. In 1850
we can only speak with certainty of it. This year
we left too early to judge.
Chairman—Where was it you reached the water
with your boat ? Captain Penny—About ten miles
east of Disappointment Bay, on the 17th of June, into
clear water. Wind came from the westward, and
brought in all the broken artal clot:RAtar\ tomb la pew. no
We continued to struggle through this ice, and exa-
mine the various islands. The wind continued ad-
verse for 33 days, less about 30 hours, and the tide
kept the ice bound is the channel, which prevented us
from reaching the water until the 19. h of July. All
our provision: were expended.
Chairman—Could n vessel of larger SiZ3 navigate
the waters your boat was in ? Captain Penny—With
-drfect safety.
Chairman--Do you think Sir John Franklin went
I;,rough the channel ? Captlin Penny—l have no
doubt on my mind that he went through it in clear
water; ray conviction has always been so. Nobody
has hearl me say anything else.
Chairman—Did you sound going through it?
C iptain Penny—No, we d: I not sound. If the water
had been shallow the ice would have grounded. All
the three channels were deep in the middle. What is
to be guarded against in limestone formation is, the
bolder the land the shallower the water. There was
only one small shallow in the middle channel, and it
wis close in shore and covered with pressed-up ice,
which prevents skips grounding upon these shores.
Sir E. Parry—How many soundings did you get ?
Captain Penny—la consequence of the sea being co-
vered with ice we had no time to take the soundings.
Had there been any shallows the ice would have toll
us of them by grounding upon it.
Chairman—Had you any line with you ? Captain
Penny—Yes, we had a line with us, but it was not
very often used. I have no doubt that in the centre
of all the channels the water was very deep.
Sir E. Parry—Are you speaking of the middle
channel now ? Captain Penny—l am speaking of all
three.

Chairman—That you rather conjectured from the
formation of the land than from any experience of
Tour own ? Captain Penny—Yes; both from the
brmation of the land and my urn experience.
Chairman—From the 17th of June to the 20th of
July, what instrument had you with you? Captain
Penny—My sextant and artificial horizon. I have a
great many observations.
(Captain Penny produced the observations, and
handed them to the chairman.)
Chairman—You wrote to the Admiralty for your
journals ; did they return them to you ? Captain
.Penny—No, they did not.
Chairman--Have you any other memorandum of
your proceedings? Captain Penny—The journals
are here (in the Admiralty).
Chairman—Did you write them every day ? Cap-
tain Penny—Every day they were dotted down at
t'-a time when travelling. The observations for
nngiti'de were rendered useless in consequence of
t-ie timepieces not keeping equal rates. lam confi-
dent of the latitudes. Could a man be in command
of a ship for sixteen years and not take a correct ob-
servation ?
Cbairtnan—Was the weather sufficiently fine to
enable you to mak these observations ? Captain
fenny—We had the latitude as often as three times
ire cue place in, consequence of being beset with the
boat. The longitude was kl
a dead reckoning, and
could m)t, have been far out.
you to alter any of the officer's
Sir E. Parry —F-11d
observations? Captain Penny—lleing young tra-
vellers; we all overestimated our distances, and had
to reduce them, some nearly 80 miles.
'Raving gone
so frequently over the distance we could judo within
a very little.
Chairman—Then of the latitudes you can speak
with certainty ? Captain Penny—Yes, I can speak
With perfect confidence of the latitudes.
Sir E. Parry—ls there not a discrepancy between
Mr. 111‘Douyall and Dr. Goodsir as to some of their
latitudes ? Captain Penny—l can explain that, I W 29
deceived myself at the time. It was a low shingley
isthmus covered with snow, which the best surveyor
rust have taken for ice. Mr. Ild`Dougall made his
observations while it was covered with snow, and he
Was deceived, as I was, from a distance. I think
from Dr. Goodsir's descripsion some of his little
illandi were only hills on this flat. Dr. Goodall*
paas,,d over it.
'S,r E. Parry—Do you thick Cornwallis Island
Bathurst Island join there? Captain Penny—l
have not the slightest doubt of it.
Sir
X. Parry—When in the Hydrographical office
they put Mr. M<Dpugall's and De. Goodair's surveys
together, the
al,l overlaw:d. All who know what
travelling is Uk."-%n low flats know how easy it is to
mike such mistakes. That was the caw, I under-
stand, when Captain Ommanney and Lioutenant
Os-
borne travelled towards Ila.nkslaul ; they did not
know whether they were on land or ice.
Admiral Faushawe—Do I understand you that
,
your journals from tie Admiralty have not been re-
turned to you ? Captain Penny —They have not been
returned.
Sir E. Parry—Did you not pima near Wellington
Strait in 1851 ? Captain Penny—No; we passed off
from Cape Hothatn, about ten miles on the outside of
a floe. I did not go up the Wellington Channel.
Sir E. Parry—In 1851 you were not able to see
anything of Wellington Strait? Captain Penny—
theer the 25th of July, when we left the edge of
ice with the boat.

TILE SUN,

Captain Beechey—The farthest point you reached
up the channel was Cape Becher in the Queen Vic-
toria Channel ? Captain Penny—Yes.
Captain B3echey—What was the latitude ? Cap-
tain Penny—lt was 76.25 N.
Sir E. Parry—Mr. Stewart gave me a long list of
latitudes that he took. Ho travelled round the east
side of this channel, and came to Cape Becher.
Chairman—Did you observe at this point ? Cap-
tain Penny—No, but Captain Stewart did; and I
could depend upon his observation.
Chairman—Which side of the channel was that ?
Captain Penny—That was on the north-east side.
Chairman—How far did you get on the north-
west side ? Captain Penny—l could not get farther
that Baring Island.
Chairman—Then before you turned about to return
how far did you consider yourself from the main
points of Sir John Franklin and Cape Lady Franklin ?
Captain Penny—No one can judge well of distances
without knowing the height of the land ; probably
sixty or seventy miles.
Chairman—Do you think the water was all clear
and open ? Captain Penny—l have no doubt of it
from the way the winds prevailed. .

Chairman:—What sort of weather was it when you
turned back ? Captain Penny—lt was a clear day
when we turned, but came on very moist weather
afterwards. We had some days clear, but the greater
part of them were moist.
Sir E. Parry—Do you think a ship could have
navigated any of these channels ? Captain Penny—
Yes, i❑ clear water I have no doubt of it. I have
navigated worse.

Admiral Fanshawe—l think you expressed your
opinion that Sir John Franklin passed that way ?
Captain Penny—Yes, that was my conviction, and
has ever been.

Chairman—There is another question that you
must expect to be asked. How was it you wrote a
letter to Captain Austin stating that Wellington
Channel was thoroughly searched, and that nothing
more could be done ? Captain Penny—Wellington
Channel was searched, bat not beyond Wellington
Channel.

Chairman—Let us just read the letter from you to
Captain Austin.
(The letter was here read by the Chairman.)
Captain Penny—Captain Austin knew very well
what I had done in Wellington Channel. I had ex-
pressed to him my opinion that Franklin had gone
away through the channel in clear water. I could do
no more with my means.
i
Chairman—lt s necessary that you should explain
this. What do you mean when you say, " I could
do no more with my means ?" Captain Penny—l
meant what I had told Captain Austin before, that I
could do no more with the means I had at command.
Chairman—You meant then by that expression to
separate Wellington Channel from the Upper Chan-
nel ? Captain Penny—Will you allow me to ask you
a question ?

-Chairman—l think you had better answer mine first.
Captain Penny—l told Captain Austin I could not
undertake the fearful responsibility of saying beyond
the channel was searched ; why ask me what I could
not tell ? I mean, why should Captain Austin ask
me what I could not tell ?

Chairman—All we want is an explanation ; you
had better confine yourself to that. Captain Penny—
In that remark I confined myself to Wellington
Channel.

Chairman—Very good. Did you explain to Cap-
tain Austin at that time that a search should be made
higher ? Captain Penny—l asked him for a steamer,
and would pilot her up the channel to the ice, and
wait till the ice should clear away. I would have
waited there a month.

Chairman—That was your reason for asking for a
steamer ? Captain Penny—Yes; most undoubtedly.
Chairman—And you are still of opinion that if the
ice had cleared away you could have gone up ?
Captain Penny—Most unquestionably.
Chairman—Did you explain that to Captain Austin
at the time ? Captain Penny—Yes ; and he refused
me that steamer to go up with.
Chairman—Did you explain to Captain Austin at
that time Sir John Franklin had gone up that channel?
Captain Penny—Most unquestionably.
Chairman—That is a sufficient answer. You meant
by asking for a steamer that it would be the best vessel
to prosecute the discoveries if the ice had cleared
away ? Captain Penny—Yes, the only vessel.
Chairman—And you offered to pilot the steamer
on account of your own experience ? Captain Penny—
Yes.

Sir E. Parry—Did you ask for a steamer to com-
mand it yourself ? Captain Penny—To pilot it.
Sir E. Parry—Piloting through the ice I hardly
understand. We are so much at the mercy of the ice
that we can hardly call it piloting.
Captain Beechey—lf you were so certain of the
ice going away from that channel and the water
clearing, by waiting a few clays, ennl,l you not ev--
sistently with your orders have waited that period ?
Captain Penny—My vessel was not suited to go
further than I did. Before I could have gone any
distance, the season would have gone, whereas in a
steamer 500 miles could have been gone over in a
week, as it was very likely we should have had to pro-
ceed that distance before we obtained any fresh traces.
Captai❑ thechey—How long are those seas navi-
gable Csptain Penny—lt depends greatly upon the
seasons. I❑ Barrow's Straits last year the frost set
in on the lath of September, but this year there was
more water in Barrow's Straits, and it may be later
before the frost sets in.

Chairman—There is another expression in Captain
Austin's letter to you of the 11th of August last, to
which I must call your attention. He requests you
to acquaint him " whether you consider that the
search of Wellington Strait, made by the expedition
under your charge, is so far satisfactory as to render
a further prosecution in that direction, if practicable,
unnecessary." What did yon do in consequence of
this ? Captain Penny—l would not take upon my-
self responsibility of saying whether the channel was
sufficiently searched. lam free to confess I was very
angry at being written to at all by Captain Austin
when we bad conversed so long upon the very same
subject, and I bad told him all in my power, giving
him my chart, and begged him to let me pilot one of
his steamers up Wellington Channel. Had I been
cool I should have used better words.

Chairman—What I mean by the last question is
this :—in the letter Captain Austin sent to you he
meant to ask you whether the search up the channel
was practicable—advisable or not ? Captain Penny
—I explained my views to Captain Austin, and still
be sent me that letter. Captain Austin was compe-
tent to judge for himself. I am not accustomed to
write official dispatches, or probably I should have
been more cautious. Captain Austin ought to know
what to do.

Chairman—lt was hardly fair to Captain Austin
not to give a full opinion on the subject. Your let-
ter was so short that any one on reading it would
suppose you intended to express your opinion that it
was useless to wait for the breaking up of the ice,
and that you were convinced no further search was
necessary—that all that could be done was done, and
that no further traces could be found ? Captain
Penny 7 Nothing of the sort could have been intended,
and Captain Austin could not have put that interpre-
tation upon the letter, as he well knew my previous
opinions. That letter was written under strong feel-
ings of irritation, and in answer to a note from Cap-
tain Austin.

Chairman—lnstead of exciting yourself, why did
you not explai❑ to Captain Austin that further search
ought to be made in the direction where you had
been ? Captain Penny—l asked him for a steamer,
in order to prosecute that search.

Captain Austin rose and said—After sending Cap-
tain Penny that note I sat down and wrote him a calm
request on the subject (knowing that he was an ex-
perienced person), urging him to let me have an
answer. I think Captain Penny must have had' my
letter eight hours. It was two o'clock in the morn-
ing when I received his answer. I wrote a private
note to Captain Penny, which he must have.
Captain Penny—l have net got it. I have searched
for it in every quarter. I sent down to Aberdeen for
it on my arrival here in London, but it is not to be
found anywhere. lam not accustomed to tie up all
my letters, and many official dispatches have been
destroyed.
Chairman—Have you had any further correspond-
_
ane
with Captain Austin than that which appears in
print
Captain Penny—Yes; there was another
letter in
which I stated that I had expressed my opi-
nion to him. I told Captain Austin wat I had done.
I told him that my orders were not such as would
alto w me to run the
risk of another Arctic winter with-
out some prospect of success.
bad not received such a letter
Captain Penny—C3Ptaiß Stewart was present when
from Captain AuPsteinnnBy said
.l he
Captain Austin got the letter.
Sir E. Parry—When was it? Captain Penny—
About the 11th of August.
Chairman—The letter which appears in print is
dated the 11th of August ; was it before or after that ?
Captain Penny—After that.
Sir E. Parry—Captain Stewart was there, you say?
CAI,' lin Penny—Yes; and he knows that I delivered
it to him.

Chairman—llave you the letter with you ? Capt.
Penny—lt is in London now, and I can send for it.
Captain Austin—l do not exactly understand what is
the question ; is it that a letter was delivered to me ?
Sir E. Parry—lt is that there was a letter delivered
to you (as an answer to your first letter) by Captain
Penny, in the presence of Captain Stewart and Captain
Ommanney.
Sir E. Pat ry—Did you ever in writing state to
Captain Austin your recommendation to him to go
up Wellington Strait? Captain Penny—Certainly
not. What was the use of writing when I was teliing
him what I had done.
(Captain Stewart was called in, and was sent for
the dispatch alluded to by Captain Penny.)

LONDON,

Chairman—What quantity of provisions do you
consider you had left when you determined to give
up all further search ? Captain Penny—About 14
months' provision for the two vessels at the rate we
were going on; but the search assumed a new feature.
I had nothing to carry out the search.
Chairman—Supposing the barrier had not cleared
away, what would you have proposed to do ? Cap-
tain Penny—lf the barrier had not cleared away the
search must be carried out with boats and sledges.
Chairman—Do you think that it would have been
possible to carry out the further search with your
provisions ? Captain Penny—Certainly not ; I was
unprepared with travelling equipage to carry out the
search, and vessels not well adapted to go up the
channel at that late season.

Chairman--When you asked for a steamer, did you
ask for one steamer or more ? Captain Penny—
Only one.
. _ . _.

Admiral Fanshawe—Did you intend to pass another
Arctic winter if you could have obtained a steamer
and got up the channel ? Captain Penny—That
would be the advantage of a steamer. We could hare
proceeded 500 miles up the channel if the way had
been clear.

Admiral Fanshawe—Did yon contemplate being
detained another winter ? Captain Penny—Yes. if
traces had been got unquestionably we should have
stopped.
Admiral Fanshawe—Suppose that the ice in the
Wellington Strait had cleared away, and Captain
Austin had been able to afford you a steamer, where
would you have thought of wintering ? Captain
Penny—lf we could have got 500 miles up the chan-
nel, we should have wintered there, if more traces had
been found. It would have been of no use going there
unless we had wintered there.

Captain Beechey—Where were the limits of the
ice in 1851 ? Sir E. Parry—He never saw it in the
best portion of 1851.
(Captain Penny explained this matter to be com-
mittee.)
Sir E. Parry—Was the water open as far up Wel-
lington Strait in 1851 as in 1850? Captain Penny
—Yes ; it was in the same spot in 1851 as in 1850 ;
it was as far up in 1851, on the 25th day of July, as
it was on the 9th day of September, 1850.
Captain Beechey—ln 1851 Captain Stewart in
returning walked over the ice from his farthest,
which was Cape Becher, and found it much decayed.
Now, did the ice clear away in 1851 ? Captain
Penny—l was there on the 22d of July, and that
was the last I saw of it. It was then broken and
much decayed, and only wanted a strong north-east
wind to clear it away: On the sth of September,
1850, I saw clear water in that channel.
Captain Beechey—Was this ice more or less
broken in 1851 ? Captain Penny—The last time
that I saw Queen Victoria Channel was on the 23d
day of July ; it was then much decayed and broken,
and would not allow an empty boat to be launched
over it.

Admiral Fanshawe—And referring to your own
two ships, you say you had not sufficient provisions
to prosecute the search ? Captain Penny—l had not
the means in my power to carry the search out, and
I would never for one moment think of stopping out
there without sufficient means to carry out the search.
Admiral Fanshawe—You say you had not suffi-
cient provisions and means to carry out the search ?
Captain Penny—Certainly.
Admiral Fanshawe—Before you came away did
you ask Captain Stewart of the Sophia, or any of the
officers, their opinion about the further prosecution of
the search in Wellington Strait ? Captain Penny—
Certainly not; the masters of our vessels take all that
responsibility upon themselves.

Admiral Panshawe—l understand you did not take
Captain Stewart's opinion about further search in the
channel ? Captain Penny—No; he might have had
an opinion on the subject, but I did not ask him. The
responsibility was mine. not his.
Sir E. Parry—When you started to come home,
did you contemplate asking for a steamer to go out
again ? Captain Penny—No, but I was prepared to
do so.

Sir E. Parry—Did you and your officers contem-
plate going out again ? Captain Penny—No, not
when I first returned,
Sir E. Parry—What made you propose it after-
wards? Captain Penny—lt struck me that if I had
the means I could prosacute the search to advantage.
I was prompted to make the proposal in consequence
of its having been said that more might have been
done than was done.

Sir E. Parry—Was that what led you to propose
to the Admiralty to go out in a steamer P Was it in
consequence of what was said when you came home?
Captain Penny—l found that everybody was disap-
pointed, and I wished to have the means of going out
again.

--(Captain Stewart here brought in the letter re-
ferred to in the previous part of the inquiry, and it
mown .
. . . . .

Sir E. 'Parry—Explain the expression in the letter,
" I can only judge when I see Wellington Channel."
What is the meaning of that P Captain Penny—The
meaning is, that if Wellington Channel is open, I
would proceed up with my two vessels. I never in-
tended to answer Captain Austin's letter.
Sir E. Parry—Surely it was incumbent upon you
to answer so important a question.
Captain Penny—l do not justify that portion of the
letter, written, as I have before stated, under feelings
of irritation. Captain Austin came, and I told him
everything that had taken place about the Wellington
Channel, which would have been worth fifty letters
from me.

Sir E. Parry—l think Captain Austin had a right
to have an answer to the question. When an officer in
his position put a specific question to you so cautiously,
surely it demanded an answer ? Captain Penny—
Captain Austin is perfectly well aware that he had his
answer, and he understood it very well, but it was not
what he wanted.

Sir E. Parry—Do you not think now it would have
been better to give a specific answer to Captain Aus-
tin's inquiry? Captain Penny—Any one can see
under what circumstances it was written, and the in-
tention of it.

Admiral F anshawe—Suppose Captain Austin had
died, nothing would have been in writing to pass to the
second in command? Captain Penny—l have said
before that it was not my intention to give an answer
to this dispatch.
Chairman—We must put on record the answer to
the question put to you. The question was this, "Do
you not think, on further consideration, that it would
have been better if you had answered Captain Aus-
tin's note more explicitly, taking into consideration all
the circumstances of the case ?" Captain Penny—ln
the position I occupied, I think I pursued the right
course. I told Captain Austin what I had done, but
he would not avail himself of it.

Chairman—Would it not have been better for you
to have said you would not take upon yourself the re-
sponsibility ? Captain Penny—That is precisely what
I said. I said that I would not take any further
responsibility upon myself.
Captain Beechey—On what day was it that you
told Captain Austin your views with respect to the
channel? Captain Penny—lt was on the 11 th of
August.

captain Beechey—Then on the 11th of August you
told Captain Austin that the strait ought to be better
examined, and that if he would' give you a vessel you
would go up there ? Captain Penny—Yes, I asked
him for a steamer to go up there. The very last words
I used to him were—" Now, sir, go up there, and do
the cause some service."

Captain Beechey—Had you at that time received
Captain Austin's official letter ? Captain Penny—
Yes, that was after all! the other letters had passed.
Captain Beechey— Was it after you explained your
views to Captain Austin that you received this letter ?
Captain Penny—Yes, it was.
Chairman—Had you any conversation about this
letter ? Captain Penny—No, no conversation what-
ever. The last thing I said was, Go up into the
Wellington Channel, and you will do good service to
the cause."

Chairman—On what day was that ? Captain
Penny—l think it was on the morning of the 12th
August.

Admiral Fanshawe—l think your opinion was that
Sir John Franklin went through the channel to the
north-west ? Captain Penny—l am convinced of
that. I always had that impression, and I have never
had occasion to alter it. Ido not think he could have
gone any other way.
Sir E. Parry—Why not go any other way ? Why
not go the way I went ? Why do you think he might
not have gone that way ? Why might be not have
gone by Cape Walker and the south-west ? Captain
Penny—Why, then he would have reached the
American shore, and we should have had him long
ago. Travelling parties belonging to the north-west
companies would have seen him.

Sir E. Parry—But you said he could not have
gone another way.
Captain Penny having handed in a paper,
The Chairman said—l suppose your object in giv-
ing me this paper is that it should appear in evidence,
so that I must ask you some questions upon it, and
then you will have an opportunity of recording it if
you like.

Captain Beechey—We do not expect from you any
scientific matter beyond what you hare given us with
respect to the latitudes ; but I may ask you whether
you put the work together yourself (adverting to a
chart was placed on the table)? Captain
P
enny—whch
Ciaptain Stewart did a great portion of it, but
I was present when it was done.
Captain Beechey—When you were at Cape Becher,
did you get the bearing of these distant points ?
Captain Penny—Yes.
Captain Beechey—When you saw Sir John and
Lady Franklin points was the weather clear ? Cap.
tain Penny—Yes, the weather was perfectly clear. I
am accustomed to take heights, and by computation I
imagine that 500 or 600 feet might have been the
measurement.

WEDNESDAY

Captain Beechey—With fourteen months' provi-
sions on board, do not you think you would have been
justified by your orders in remaining to see whether
the ice would break away or not ? Captain Penny
—I
do not think it would have been the slightest use
with a sailing vessel.
Captain Beechey—Do not you think you ought to
have stopped to see whether the ice cleared away P
Captain Penny—l might have been justified in that,
but not in going up the channel.
Captain Beechey—Could you have stopped with
the amount of provisions you had ? Captain Penny
—Oh yes.
Sir E. Parry—Did you understand that Captain
Austin meant to come home about the 12th of
August ? Captain Penny—l thought so.
Sir E. Parry—flow did you ascertain the fact that
Captain Austin was coming home ; you were right
enough, but how did you ascertain it ? The reason
why I ask is this—knowing that Captain Austin was
going away to Jones's Sound, would it not have been
desirable to stop and see what became of the ice in
the Wellington Channel ? Captain Penny—lt would
have been of no use stopping there; if the idea had
struck me at the time it is possible I might have re-
mained there some time.

Chairman—One thing more occurs to me to ask
you. You were quite aware from Captain Austin's
letter to you of the 12th of August that he had de-
termined (in consequence, probably, of the letter he
had received from you) that he did not consider it
necessary to prosecute the search further, even if it
were practicable, in that direction. Now, after all
you have said, it is hardly worth while to ask you any
more questions, but were you not then fully aware
that that was the last opportunity you would have of
urging upon him a further search in that direction ?
Captain Penny—The last thing I said to Captain
Austin was, " Go up the Wellington Channel, and
do the cause good service."
Chairman—What course did you take to explore
Jones's Sound ? Captain Penny—When we came
there we fell into a body of ice, and we could proceed
no further.

Chairman—You say you found it so blocked up
with ice that you could not proceed ? Captain Penny
—Yes.

Chairman—Do you think that later in the year that
might have been accomplished ? Captain Penny--It
might have been, but everything depends upon the
winds.

Chairman—lt is in the same category as the Wel-
lington Strait, that may open sometimes and close
sometimes ? Captain Penny—Yes, I think it is very
likely.
Chairman—We are directed to inquire not only
into the past, but in reference to the future. Will
you tell us what are your opinions concerning
operations next year ? Captain Penny—l will tell
you. The first and most important thing is, that
the party who goes out must be the responsible party.
Captain Beechey—When you came to Cape
Becher, your furthest distance northwards from
Queen Victoria's Channel, in what state did the waters
appear to you ? Captain Penny—ln the north-west
nothing but clear water as far as the eye could reach
—a water sky bound it. The height of Cape Becher
was about 500 feet.

Captain Beechey—ln the north and south channel
was there a strong current ? Captain Penny—Yes,
there was.

Captain Beechey—How strong did the currents
run ? Captain Penny—Not less than four miles in
the hour.

Captain Beechey—On what day was that ? Cap-
tain Penny—l could not tell without reference. I
think it was at the full moon.

Captain Beechey—Then it was abput the time of
the springs ? Captain Penny—Yes.
Sir E. Parry—Do you think it was a regular tide ?
Captain Penny—lt was the regular tide, but run-
ning from the westward longer than from the east-
ward.

Captain Beechey—l find from your evidence be-
fore the committee at Woolwich that you make the
following remarks :—" At Point Surprise and Disap-
pointment Bay there was about four feet rise and fall,
a pretty regular tide. The water on the ledge of
grounded ice on Cape Benjamin Smith was low about
the 16th of July, lower than usual; a greater fall
than we had observed in other parts. Full moon
having occurred on the 13th, the spring tide may have
accounted for this. In the Queen's Channel the cur-
rent ran to the eastward not less than four miles on
the 16th of July, the wind being fresh from the west-
ward. Thinks the stream came most from the west-
ward ; the stream of tide was not regular. Different
observations were made to ascertain which way the
flood tide came. As seen from Assistance Harbour,
the currents seemed to be influenced principally by
the winds." Do you assent to all this ? Captain
Penny—Yes.
Chairman—You have given it in your evidence be-
nne tlics Yiruulvviuti cuumattee that you met with wood
and other foreign substances in the channel ?
(The Chairman read a list of the articles which had
been found by Captain Penny, as stated before the
committee at Woolwich.)
Chairman—ls all that correct? Captain T enny—
Yes, it is.

Chairman—ln your journeys and 'voyages along
the shores of the Queen Channel, what animals did
you meet with, and in what quantities ? Captain
Penny—ln our travelling parties we met with thirty-
four bears.

Chairman—White polar bears ? Captain Penny—
Yes.

Chairman—Any seals ? Captain Penny ?—Yes, a
great many, and two were killed.
Chairman—Any other animals ? Captain Penny
—Several walrusses ; one of them was killed. I
think we saw about fourteen deer, mostly down upon
the islands. Thousands of birds might have been
easily approached and killed.
Sir E. Parry—Did you eat any of the walrusses ?
Captain Penny—Yes, and I thought them as good as
the seals. The men did not eat them.

Chairman—On Baillie Hamilton Island you found
more birds than anywhere else, did you not ? Cap-
tain Penny—Yes.
Sir E. Parry—What would be your view—the
public feeling in England makes it desirable to ask it
—suppose you had been left there with your guns
and ammunition, to what extent could you have sup-
plied provisions—anything, for instance, that starv-
ing people would eat ? Captain Penny—We might
have supplied abundance of food. The very exertion
to produce food would be conducive to health.
Chairman—Could fish be procured in any quan-
tity ? Captain Penny—There are some crawfish, bnt
they are small, and very few in number.
Sir E. Parry—There are some small fish in the
lake near Assistance Bay, are there not ? Captain
Penny—Yes, there are some trout, but very few.
Chairman—Had you a thermometer with you?
Captain Penny—No. Captain Ommanney had it
much colder down his part than we had. I had a
thermometer the first time, but not the second.
Sir E. Parry—Dr. Sutherland had one, bad he
not ? Captain Penny—Yes.
Sir E. Parry—Who first landed at Beechey Island
and discovered traces of the Erebus and Terror P
Captain Penny—All my officers and some of the
men went down together and discovered the winter
quarters. _

Chairman—You mean that they discovered the
winter quarters of the Erebus and Terror ? Captain
Penny —Yea.
Chairman—We are directed to inquire into the
conduct of the officers of the expedition. Have you
any complaints to make against them, or did they
conduct themselves to your satisfaction ? Captain
Penny—They performed their duties creditably
throughout the expedition.

EVENING-,

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DECEMBER 31, lB5l.

tution of a company, is, no doubt, a matter of great
importance ; but it must not be forgotten that the
stringent provisions of the Winding-up Acts are matters
of infinitely greater importance to the shareholders,
and the two cases which we have cited show this—
that even where there is no Etig;ish r,rgistration, but
a foreign domicile, with English shareholders, the
provisions of the Winding up acts attach. Another
of these companies professes an intention to carry on
its business on what is termed the " cost-book prin-
ciple, until a charter of incorporation be obtained,
and which it is intended shall be applied for upon
the meeting of the States Congress in January
next." The cost-book system is peculiar to the min-
ing districts of this country, and one of its prin-
cipal incidents is, that the money subscribed is
entered in the cost-book opposite each subscriber's
name, and the expenditure is entered on
another leaf, and the balance of profit or loss, as the
case may be, is divided amongst the adventurers, ge-
nerally about once in two months. The advantages
of this system have been thus described Any party
can see at a glance, on inspection of the cost-book,
who are the adventurers, whilst creditors can select
either the purser or any adventurer to proceed against."
We should like to know how such a system could be
worked in California by a committee of management
and shareholders in England ?
In making these observations, it must not be in-
ferred that we entertain views at all hostile to these
undertakings, or that we express any opinion whatever
as to the advantages which they offer as a means of
investment. We have merely stated what we believe
to be a correct view of the law; and we have felt it
the more incumbent on us to do so, as rumours are
afloat that, with the new year, there will be a revival
of Joint-Stock Company speculation in this country,
by means of associations having their domicile in
France and Belgium.—Morning Post.

REPRESENTATION OF MONMOUTHSHIRE
BOROUGHS.

In consequence of_ the position held by Mr. Blew-
itt, member for these boroughs, in the Monmouth-
shire and Glamorganshire Bank, be will shortly vacate
his seat, and, in anticipation of the vacancy which will
be thus occasioned, a stir is making in the political
circles of the returning borough—Newport. One
candidate, Mr. Lindsay, a London shipowner, is al-
ready in the field, and a second is talked of. Mr. Lind-
say has already addressed a public meeting of the
electors in Newport in explanation of his political
creed. He began by announcing himself as an in-
dependent candidate, and the nominee of no man.
With reference to Sir Benjamin Hall, who was pre-
sent, he said he did not know him, and bad never
seen him until the previous day, but that the mea-
sures of reform and improvement in State
and Church of which Sir Benjamin was the
distinguished advocate should receive his most
strenuous support. He told the meeting that
he was not a man of high birth, but Came from
the people, and that, at fifteen years old, he left his
home to push his fortune in the world as a common
sailor, but he now held a high position in the maritime
interest, having risen to that position by his own in-
dustry and exertion from an orphan boy. He was a
Dissenter of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, and a
member of Dr. Archer's congregation in London. He
would support liberty of conscience, he would reform
all abuses in the Church, and endeavour to prevent
those abuses from rendering it the scoff of infidels ;
he would vote for a repeal of church rates as a fruit-
ful cause of strife, but, though in principle opposed
to the union between Church and State, still he
would not vote for the separation of that union at
present. He would resist the encroachments of the
Church of Rome to the utmost; he would not
entrust it with power, nor would he trust Dis-
sent, which had also abused power. He would
enter the house, if elected, not as a disciple of George
Frederick Young, on the one hand, or of Feargus
O'Connor, on the other ; nor as a follower of the
Duke of Richmond, or of Mr. Cobden, but he would
endeavour to reduce the expenditure of the country,
and so lighten the burdens of the people. As a com-
mercial man he knew that great reforms and reduc-
tions could be effected in the royal dockyards,
and in the management of the Customs. As to the
navigation laws, he was opposed to the views enter-
tained by Mr. Labouchere, and followed those of the
late Mr. Huskisson. As to free trade, he was for
real free trade, but he could not call that free trade
which gave to France privileges which France would
not concede to us. He was for the extension of the
suffrage and for the ballot, which had no connexion
with universal suffrage, but would be a protection for
a conscientious voter. A requisition is being got up
in favour of Mr. Crawshay Bailey.