The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-24 00:00:00

THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—I enclose extracts from three letters which I have
received from Captain M'Clintock, by which you will per-
ceive that in the course of the last season he was unable to
get into the north water, and passed the winter in the pack.
He has now recruited at Disco, and, undaunted by this
failure, has proceeded again in search of the missing expe-
dition. I remain yours truly,
Aug. 23. R. COLLINSON

"Yacht Fox, Holsteinborg—commenced May 3, 1858,
" closed May 7.
" My dear Collinson,—Our cruise hitherto has been short
and sharp—most lamentably short, indeed, but, thank God,
it is not at an end ; the real work is only now beginning. We
have only now to repeat the attempt this year which failed
so signally last year. Our progress was finally stopped in
Melville Bay, August 18, from which time up to the 25th of
April we remained in the pack, drifting southward with it.
While beset we have drifted down from 751 N. to G 3; N.;
the whole amount is 1,194 geographical miles. You will
understand what disappointment and anxiety this ill-
fortune entailed upon me. For a whole month in Mel-
ville Bay our fate hung in the balance. The season was
very similar to 1848, when I was with Sir J. Ross; the
whale bay was crammed full of light pack, and there was no
land ice. Having previously examined the edge of the
middle ice down as far as 72.20, without any prospect of
success, there was but one course open to me—to enter the
pack whenever a favourable opportunity offered, and
trust to boring through into the north water. This is what
Sir J. Ross did, and, being on the same spot, and also on
the same day, and, moreover, a very favourable opportunity
of long leads opening out, I tried the same plan. We did not
succeed ; a long run of southerly winds closed the ice together
so much that it did not open again. Still I had the pre-
cedent of the North Star from which to draw the hope of a
drift through into the north water, and this, I think, we
should have done in time to save our season but for the
grounding of some bergs on a bank off Cape York, which it
has been our lot to discover. We drifted up within 24 miles
of that cape, and subsequently far to the westward before
commencing our southern march. But all this you will see
in my statement of proceedings and track chart which I
have sent to Lady Franklin.
" We are thoroughly efficient, but rather short-handed,
and I am sorry to add that R. Scott (leading stoker) died
on the 4th of December.
"We are in excellent health, and the ship unin-
jured. She leaks a little, and we had to pump her out all
winter three times weekly.

" Forty tons of coal remain on board, and we will take in
as much more at the Waigat. As for provisions, we have,
excellent in quality, of salt meat 17 mouths', preserved
meat and pemmican 13 months', &c. From this you will
see how well provided we are, and how easily we can com-
plete ourselves for a third winter at Beechey
" With regard to my future plans, I see no reason for
departing from my original scheme. If early into the west
water, I will thoroughly sift the Pond's Bay natives, so as
to separate the history of Belcher's abandoned ships from
such knowledge as they may possess respecting Franklin's
ships.
" I hope to look into Port Leopold before visiting Beechey
Island, as the former would be the place to which we would
have to fall back. If the launch is injured, I will take a
boat from Beechey Island, and leave her there should I go
down Bellot Strait, or at Cape Walker should I sucond get-
ting down Peel Strait.
" Should I get down to the Magnetic Pole I will pass oa
the east side of King William's Land, communicating with
the natives, and into Fish River. If I cats manage to com-
plete my work in Fish River by ship, it would be an im-
mense advantage to winter near the south-west angle of
King William's Land.
" Disco, May 24.—For the early part of this season I
shall be among the whalers, leisurely following their motions;
but, should they not persevere to the not th as long as 1
think desirable, I must then judge for myself whether to
persevere or return south with them and seek a southern
passage. I propose sailing to-morrow morning. We shall
lung remember the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Olrick and
all here.—Yours very sincerely,
" F. L. M'CLINTOCK.',

Tur NEW K.C.B.—Sir Adolphus Slade, Captain
in the Royal Navy, and `'ice-Admiral in the Turkish Ser-
vice, whose elevation to the dignity of a Knight Commander
of the Bath we chronicled in our columns on Saturday, is
he fifth son of Gen. Sir John Slade, Bort., G.C.H., and
Colonel of the sth Dragoon Guards, by his first wife, Anna
Eliza, daughter of Mr. James Dawson, Assistant-Barrister
of County Armagh. He was born in 1805, and is u
ingnmato
r-
ried. He entered the navy August 3, 1815, accord
O'Byrne ; passed his examination in 1822, and ob-
tained his first commission November '27, 1827. He
served in the Mediterranean from January, 1834, until
1837, as additional lieutenant of the Caledonia (120)
flag-ship of Sir Josias Rowley, and attaintd the rank
of commander in 1841. From 1846 until paid off at the
close of 1847 he commanded the Recruit (12) on particular
service. In 1844 he was a student at the Royal Naval
College. Shortly before the outbreak of the Crimean war
C. apt. Slade was engaged by the Turkish Government to
improve their sailors in naval tactics, trd his alacrity and
enterprise whilst acting in that capacity are well known
both at home and abroad. In recognition of his ability,
the Sultan appointed Capt. Adolphus Slade to the rank of
vice admiral in the Qttoman navy.