The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-09 00:00:00

RENEWED SEARCH FOR THE FRANKLIN

EXPEDITION.

Who is Dr. King ! He is the man who descended
the Great Fish River in search of Sir John Ross in 1834;
who prOposed to Lord Stanley (now Lord Derby)to reach
the Polar Sea by Great Fish River, to act in concert with
the Franklin expedition in 1845; who foretold the where-
abouts of the wreck of the Franklin expedition ; who
implored the Colonial and Admiralty Boards, year after
year, for several years, to let him descend a second
time Great Fish River in search of the Franklin expe-

dition, a second time to save human life on a great scale ;
and who, now that he cannot save their lives, offers to
bury the honoured remains of Oct remnant of the expedi-
tion, 40 in number, bleaching in the sun, at Great Fish
River's mouth.

Who is Dr. King! He is the wiry younger brother
of Mr. William Francis King, of Sydney, New South
Wales, whose feat of pedestrianism is thus recorded in

Bell's Life in London some years back :

" EXTRAORDINARY PEDESTRIAN FEAT.—Mr. William
Francis King has just accomplished the unparalleled feat
of walking one hundred and ninety-six miles in forty-six
hours and a half, without resting far a minute through-
out that time. He had been preparing himself for the
feat of performing 192 miles in 48 hours for the last few
weeks, and on Tuesday night he walked down to the race
course, and at 10 o'clock started, at a pace over 6 miles an
hour, which he kept up until long after midnight, num.
bars of people remaining on the course till two or three
o'clock. A. tent was also thrown up underneath the grand
stand, and a fire lit, at which tea and coffee were made,
eqs boiled, and banded to King as he might require
them. By ten o'clock the next morning, 12 hours having
elapsed, he had walked 71 times round the course equal to
about 66i miles, thus making an average for the first
12 hours of about 5e miles per hour. At this time, how-
ever, he walked much slower, being engaged in taking his
breakfast eating from his tray, now again slung before him,
and drinking from a cup supplied to him by s man who
accompanied him round with the teapot. At ten o'clock
he appeared slightly lame, and his feet seemed rather
tender ; but he was full oelife and animation. At four
o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, 18 hours having
elapsed, he had walked rather more than 02 round.,
or about 86 miles, having thus walked only about 19
miles in six hours ; as the day had been excessively
hot this was evidently good policy. At four he was
looking quite fresh, and not tne slightest lameness or
tenderness apparent. At ten o'clock on Wednesday
evening, 24 hours, he had walked 112 rounds, or
about 104 miles ; he had thus done only 18 miles in six
hours, having been delayed doubtless by a heavy thun-
derstorm, which broke about half past six, and lasted
for an hour, accompanied by violent wind and a smart
shower. At ten the effects of his wetting appeared, his
voice being hoarse, and sounding like that of a man in-
wardly exhausted ; but he was nearly as full of conver-
sation as ever, and to any suggestions of doubt he
returned a confident answer that he should do the task
with two hours to spare. At ten on Thursday morning,
36 hours, he had walked 1691 rounds, someihing more
than 157 miles, having done 53 miles during the 12
hours since ten in the evening. During part of the
night we were told he walked at nearly six miles an
hour, making an occasional mile at the rate of seven
miles. When we saw him at ten in the morning be
appeared tolerably fresh, going along at a steady pace
of about three miles an hour, his legs and feet not
appearing tender, but he seemed to be somewhat
stiff, we thought, about the thighs. It afterwards turned
out he was suffering from a violent attack of a com-
plaint to which he is subject. The morning was highly
favourable, a cold wind blowing, which lasted through
the day, although accompanied with much dust in the
streets. We did not visit the c mrse again until eight
o'clock in the evening, when we found a consider-
able crowd there, as well as a band, several
banners, and a number of 'anthems. King was
still walking at a steady pace, moving as it were me-
chanically, and his voice quite hoarse. When we
reached the course be had about two more rounds to do,
and during the first of these he increased his pace to
about three miles and a half per hour. The last round
was a most extraordinary one. As he passed the stand
the band_ joined in behind him,
as well as the
dbal nr
bearers and time keepers, the procession, indeeso,ou)edn er
iteg
quite a triumphant one. The order of ituwt
as
•
about six
turbed, however, for King
stepped
i o
making most of his admirers run,
miles an hour,
the band dropping behind untilmatit,hewyhehnadthteoy cceoamse
.
playing, and run after thte
menced again. King kep on. is course at a brisk
pace, with several spurts, making nearly all run but
himself. Ile completed the distance at half-past eight
o'clock on Thursday evening, thus taking forty-six hours
and a half iu walking 192 miles (206 times round the
course), although the distance he actually walked must
have been four or five miles further, allowing for many
detours and short returns on his course made by him in
the earlier part of the task. In one of his rounds made
on Thursday he carried a child nearly round in his arms.
A tremendous round of cheering, with waving of ban-
ners and hats, and firing of nuns, hailed him at the com-
pletion of the distance. During Thursday night he
took very little rest, and yesterday morning appeared
cheerful and active. The average speed for such a
length of time—upwards of four miles an hour—was
most extraordinary, hut to continue at this rate for
forty-eight hours without resting a single minute,
either to take refreshment or for any other purpose,
was more wonderful still."

VERY PARTIOULAR.—At the fortnightly meeting of
the Gateshead Poor Law Guardians, held on Tuesday,
a letter was read from the Poor Law Commissioners
asking to be informed of the exact quantity of flour used
to a pound of suet pudding. After discussion, it was re-
solved that on the next occasion they were made one of
the dumplings should be sent to the Commissioners to
judge for themselves, which was adonted amid loud
eloghter.