The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-11-08 00:00:00

DISCOVERY' SHIPS.

=fait", OP A !ATTER, DATIL!) antrantax, ore. 20.
" We have been enabled to obtain front an authen-
tic source the following particulars as to the retnlt of
a voyage which will be memorable in the annals of by-
drography:—.-
Lieutenant Parry entered by Lancaster Sound,
proceeded directly over Captain Ross's special chart
of land, and reached, in the parallel of 74 •`r 75, 114
or 115 West, about 550 miles farther than Captain
Ross asserted the Polar Sea to be navigable. In 90
they fell in with islands, which continued successively
till they reached the extreme westerly point of one in
Ilk: here winter overtook them, and they turned
back to 118, and wintered In a snug harbour in 5 fa-
thoms water. (There is some error in the figures
here—either they are transposed, the vessels having
reached 118 and returned to 115, or if 115 be the
extreme point, then we should probably read 108 or
118 in place of 118.) On the breaking up of the
ice this season, attempts were made to proceed wes-
terly, but immense barriers of ice from the Polar Sea'
to the northward shut out all hope of succeeding in the
parallel of 74 ; and before they could return to the
eastward anal renew the attempt in a lower lati:ude,
the navigable season, which is confined to august and
a few days in September, offered no reasonable chance
of succeeding this year; independent of which, pro-
visions would not have held out in so precarious
and dangerous a navigation for the minter, anal
the time they would certainly have been frozen up.
The txistrnre of a Polar Sea to the westward of
Ifearne's River," it incontestibly eslabli.hrd. Mar.
kenzie saw it still farther to the westward, and by re-
ference to the map yon will perceive Icy Cape, whirls
must clearly al ll ustratcs the American line of coast.
Experience has taii4lat these hardy navigators, that
in the month of August, such a powerful radiation
from the land takes place, as to render a channel suf-
ficient to demonstrate the certainty of the existence of
a north-west passage, anal that a practicable one, butt
not open to any possilsle commercial purposes. lit 90
the compasses were useless on hoard, the attraction
of the needle was extreme; in one case, I think I ii 6.
"The crew• of the vessels have conducted themselves
as became men in such a ttttt mentons expedition. They
hate heels particularly healthy, and retairucal to Eng-
land with the lose of only one man, and that from CA•
ssialty ; what a ponerful tribute to the discipline and
rare of the officers rontmamling., with the thermome-
ter of Fahr. 55 deg. below set.), where the breath of
every one in his sleeping-place formed a sheet of ice
over his head iu the moruing."

nuni.,.o4 Nay. 6.—On Tuesday night, a link
befora It o'clock, the premises of Mr. Billing', Km
eer, st. Augustine's Back, were diseovered to ie „„
fire, and, from the deficiency of water which was st
first experienced, considerable apprehension was ea.
tertained fur the adjoining houses. The names rot.
firmed to rage for upwards of three hovs, and sot
only destroyed 31r. Itilling,e's hone', but greatly da,
waged those adjoining, belonging to Messrs. Sugar,
cabinet-makers, and Mr. Freeman, boot and siaN
maker, and notch injure,' the stock of the latter imi.
viJual. We understand that Mr. hillinge's family
were in heel when the fire broke out, and that Mit
B. (who is far aci.vane.d in pregnancy) with dilfwalty
saved her life by clamhering over the tops of tie
hou.es to a place of ?Air.. How the accidist sem,
red we have not yet been able to ascertain; hat „,
learn that sin pipes of the different engims, vrhid,
hiraelrfeainmmheorusre:l lour t ItaieleFldota.st;ruwcutuioldn n,ovt douirda wit
awrartlfetin
earlier arrested.

ANoTHEit FlllM—About ten oVock on Tharssily
night a lire broke out in the workshop of 3lr. thtri,
ints,l chairmaker, adjoi !itig the Star in, Bed,
rninster, which destroyed the shop but, by the tier-
thins of the neighbours, the flames were pre►rateri
front reaching the Inn, et hide is also by Mr. Hi►ch.
inv. we are ',wry to state that the tire elissibil
the .rester part of his stuck, cunsi•ting of tools, tar,
bet., chairs, &c. to the amount of from 2901. to NW
which was nut insured. The engines did not arrive
until the whole was nearly burnt down.