The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-23 00:00:00

ing the last geographical problems left for solution
in those wild and scarcely penetrable regions round
the northern pole, Captain M'CLINTOCK has
brought back to us not only positive and reliable
facts and dates as to the FRANKLIN expedition, so

-.... . __
long missing, and so long left alone entirely to our
conjectures ; but with these written records he
carries home to us in England —ah ! such
mournful relics of those long dead and
heroic navigators. It is scarcely pos-
sible to read with eyes undimmed by sym-
pathy the catalogue of some of these poor little
awful relics ! Beside a boat that was found, for
example, in lat. 69 deg. 08.43 N., long. 90 deg.
24.42 W., upon the west coast of King William's
Island, May 30, 1859—beside this boat "Two
double-barrelled guns—one barrel in each loaded,
found standing up against the side of the
boat." In the boat some clothing and two
human skeletons ! One of these skeletons undis•
turbed—the other disordered, in the fore part of the
boat, as if by animals ! A small Prayer-book--
" The Vicar of Wakefield"—the cover of a small
book of Family Prayers—" Christian Melodies,'
with an inscription on the cover to G. G.—a small
Bible, " interlined in many places, and with nume-
rous references written in the margin "—a New
Testament in the French language. What an elo-
quence there is in these few items ! What a true
and simply pathos!! Again—turning to Captain
M'CLINTOCK'S own 11;+Riled narrative of the proceed-
ings of his little party of aci,-,Tnturers—we read
at one part—" Re-crossing the Strait to King
William's Island we continued the examination of
its southern shore without success until the 24th of
May, when about 10 miles eastward of Cape
Herschel a bleached skeleton was found, around
which lay fragments of European clothing. Upon
carefully removing the snow a small pocket-book
was found containing a few letter ; these, though
much decayed, may yet be deciphered. Judging
from the remains of his dress this unfortunate
young man was a steward or officer's servant, and
1 his position exactly verified the Esquimaux's asser-
tion [previously given in the narrative], that they
dropped as they walked along." There are two or
three anomalies, and one or two contradictions no-
ticeable in the few documents yet given to the public
by Captain APCLINTOCK. These it is but fair and
right that we should notice—though they may be
each of them, it is possible, very easily explained.
For example, among the original papers stated to
have been found by Captain M'CLINTocK on Prince
of Wales' Island, there is one under date—" May,
1847," and signed " Sir JOHN FRANKLIN." The
question naturally arises, would Sir JOHN FRANK-
LIN have signed himself " Sir JOHN FRANKLIN ?"
A signature all the more curious when in the docu-
ment to which it is appended we read : " Having
wintered in 1846-7 at Beechey Island." A circum-
stance so bewildering, coupled with the previous
account given as to the fate of the Expedition,
that we find it noted at the Admiralty yesterday,
through this little Mem. :—" The words ' Having
continued in 1846-47 at Beechey Island,' should be
' in 1845-46,' as in 1846-47 they were beset in the
ice, and the ships abandoned in April, 1848." Still
anomalies and inaccuracies may have crept in thus
in the copying. Spurious signatures would be in-
stantly recognisable. The veritable autographs
will, at a glance, put an end to all uncertainty.
Having thus completely accomplished the
end of his heroic enterprise, the brave
Captain M'CLINTOCK and his hardy seamen of the
little Fox will be now recognised assuredly as
having won a right to claim evidence of the
national gratitude, no less than earnest as-
surances (like these heartfelt assurances of
our own) of the popular admiration. The
red ribbon of a Companion of the Bath would
suit well the sea-blue of that gallant sailor's
uniform. The Victoria Cross might shine, and
shine deservedly, upon a less dauntless breast than
that of M'CLINToCK !
____

One good result may follow from the Chinese
disaster. It will surely revive, and at an opportune
juncture, the practical alliance between France and
England. While two nations, or Governments,
like two individuals, have no pursuit in common,
they are ever liable to the influence of small dis-
t'irbing causes; but let some object of great im-
portance, and especially some common danger re-
quire joint action; and trifles are soon brushed aside.
Even parties in the House of Commons can merge
their minor differences, when the question is which
shall occupy the Treasury benches. The Chinese
treachery has presented such a uniting object to
both Governments. They were jointly insulted,
and their representatives murderously attacked.
The treaties they had jointly obtained were refused
ratification, though not a word of accusation, as to
anything unfair in them, had been heard. Before
all the East, almost within hearing of the newly-
opened commercial kingdom of Japan, the vessels
of the Western Powers have been assailed by over-
whelming force, and with such success that nothing
but the thorough humiliation of the traitors to all
international law, can restore to us, in the eyes of
barbarians, the position necessary to our safety.

Though nothing official has yet transpired, it
cannot be doubted that Louis NAPOLEON will fully
do his part. The proportion of ships and men
which he would have to send to China, of men espe-
cially, would be hardly missed by him. And pro-
bably, as there is no demand for his navy in Europe
at present, he may be pleased, rather to show that
he does not need our aid in conveying his soldiers,
than to accept it as he did in taking them to the
Baltic. He will most likely also prefer to be will
represented in naval force, also, in the Chinese
waters. He will desire to show his naval equality
with England, not only at Cherbourg or Toulon,
but on the waters of distant oceans. We, of course,
cannot fail to do our part. Men we have ready in
the East, if we can but catch them. Men coming
home from where they are wanted, and whom we
could have made sure of, but for the foolish govern-
mental parsimony, which has failed to regard elec-
tric telegraphs to the East as a national affair.
However, if the discharged Europeans do
return, we shall not be in want
of soldiers acclimatised to the tropics ;
We have Sikhs in abundance—too many of
them, indeed; ten of them would, if led by a
British officer, thrash a hundred Chinese led by a
mandarin, and laugh at their task. With the
most ordinary good management we might send to
China even tweity thousand of these fine fellows,
who with a third of their number of Europeans
could march through China from north to south
and east to west without an enemy which would
dare to face them.
But while the two Governments are thus en-
gaged, they will of course be brought into that
Practically friendly association which must increase
their real
friendship. From this we may hope for
well that our
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Iwere so disposed, change their position in regard

to Italy. He knows that it would be fatal to any
English Government to assent to the restoration of
the Dukes in opposition to their people, to refuse the
annexation of the Duchies to Piedmont, when all
parties concerned desired it, and much more, to
place over them a
_French viceroy instead of