The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-11-15 00:00:00

PRICE !:.ZEVER PENcR.

THE NORTH-WEST EXPEDITION.

EDINNVitan, Nov. 19.—8 y a reference to the let-
ter of Captain Parry it uill be seen, that having
effected a passage Csreingh Lancaster Souild list° the
Polar Sea, the expedition was only able to proceed as
far as Ilti deg. W. between the parallels of 74 and
75 N., daring the Fawner of I!110. There was nn.
thing discouraging in ibis circumstance, however,
the winter being now set in. Indeed, the crew* felt
they had se mach reason to be satisfied, that, aided to:
a succession of well-emetrivell diversions, they wise en-
abled, notwithstanding the intense cold (the therms-
meter 55 below sort)) to create sufficient artificial and
animal heat to sustain life---nay, to pass the winter,
(off Melville Island, 74 deg. 47 min. N. 110 deg. 47
win. W.) "without any considerable inconveldeace :"
that is to say, no greater inconvenience than a conti-
nual apprehension of the imemediatt destruction
of the ships from the joiletutiew of- 4lfer-- tos,"
aid sleeping in cabins hied with fee, unless they
chanced to bee ttttt e so cotteertelly wares as to emu-
shin a fine incipient thaw between decks, just isinki-
'tint to drono the blankets and . bedding, with-
out making any perceptible difference in the ape
pearance of the glaery walls by which they were
e 114'01M passed.—And aricurdingly, we bini„ a•
the bre3king up of the ice, " the carers am
men in excellent health, end with• every prospect ..!
the final se..oasplisimment" of their euterp rise. 1111
when we ler.rm that daring the w; etc of the ensnin ,
season, our discovery ships H tenni it impossilm! I.• •
penetrate to the westward beyond the merimliaa of i I ;
degrees 47 minutes W," in a more southern latitude,
because of " a continuous harrier of ice," which ex-
tended as far south as Capt. Parry thonght it espediet t
to go, the season and his res•unrces beaux' too far e‘-
liansted, we see here itr.irty! Put a very faint' It Tr m•I
any ultimate success as retards the main ohjeces u.t
time enterprive—eameely, the disrovery of a north-west
passage to I n.lii--etetipg altogether mai of the ques-
tion the tuisuounreldion to which the terra " passage"
:s liable, fur no one miry entertains the chimera, of oar
ever boinz able to keep open a north-west comauttnica-
tion between Europe and Itehrines Straits. But, es/a-
lining all speeu:at' to time bare probability of rower-
', taining the 1.10---al Put;reding• to one advesiturosti
'voyage, there appoars little in the intelligence yet af-
forded by the two lait expeditions, to allow us to ell-
sertain very co:Mule:illy inch an expectation. One
thing is self-evident : that a new course, for instance,
along the north coast of America, must be adopted i
that appearing to taer the only (bailee of success ; for,
limiting at the progress of Capt. Puti.ry daring the teat
season, between the parallels of 74 and 75, it would
take font or five seasaiis to make the voyage; whereas
Capt. Parry could not stow provisions sod fuel for
three. And (apt. Perry den not Mr to* Ow teeth
of 74 degrees N. he ran, under a continuance of the
disappointment he complains of, so as to fitruish any
groomd of opinion that a still more southerly course
would he practicable; Mt:rough lie will perhaps be
inclined to think, that a roast v .yaire would a!usmi
promise a su:Tession of wintering mina& ters.
But we would not discourage any future attempts ;
we are far from dispraising dm late ones, ur front
thinking lightly of their utility : net the contrary. we
are not unmindful alit, independently of geographical
discoveries, they furnish much information which
master speculators in science have thirsted fur in rain.
One of time first objects of inquiry will be the variable
influences of time atmospheric pressure and of the mag-
netic pole. On the latter subject, we uatlerstand that
in 99 all the magnetic compasses on lactrd were use-
less, and the ships stee ed by a solar compass. Some
9-inch boat compasses, manufaetured by Alexander of
Leith, without any knowledge of the service fur Which
they were destined, but which haul hoc) a voyage with
Captain Koss, who reported them " superior to all
others," are now in use by the Herla, and the officers
agree in confirming the character given of than by
rsptain Rosa. We are informed while on board, that
slr. Alexander had expetssed a desire to be attached
to a future expedition, for the purpose of malting ex-
periments on the needle, to prevent the friction °era-
shined by the dip, which he has already lu a great
measure remedied by the agate cup.
Perhaps the most surprising and eurions informa-
tion derived from these voyages is the force of vege-
tation during the short vegetative reason is the nor-
thern
latitudes : of which the hotauie speriniens
brought home in the Becht. and the experiments usade
on the Neti Georgia Islands with several of our com-
mon pram Feeds, afford most striking proofs.
Besides their winter amusements of hunting, Ste.,
the officers of time Ht'* la invented also some of an in-
tellectual nature. We believe we Wire noticed the
performance of plays, to %think we might add that
they were their own drainatiets. We were also Is.
roared with the perusal of a file of TA. Nem Grore:a4
Geeefte, or Hillier Cittentick : which contained some
very fair jcwx-reeeprfte, for which the mistakes auntie
precesling navigators afforded abundant scope. it. I
snow, anal the discovered land in 74. 19. N. si3. 5.1.
W., would have been very protniaing subjeets. If ii
hail not been for invading copy-right, we copula hate
aniseed the reader with a few' 'steads. ,

Th• Meek sass to sail . his day or to-me,rrovr for
Deptford.
I.aawirao Nor. 1 —The Griper diseorery ship ar-
rived List night at Coils Mirth, in Yell tivuou.—C
bigrgh Star.)

A meeting of the ino.shers of tits floarils• (
room was called oa Monday list, and a MINS•
ins, paper expelled for kiwis, pleaded the mums of
Queen. At this meths, the Club, it I undeseimmit
actually passed a vote of maim oa themselves Dr
their ladisevetiee is illastinating their toom sts
Pads,. and determined to he =ate prodeist fee No
false&