The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-11-14
From the Washington Guy Spectator
LETTER FROM CAPTAIN AuLlCK

GENTLEMEN Lieutenant Wilkes, In his Synop-
sis Of the cruise of lie Exploring Expedition which
have but recently seen, having made some state
ments calculated TO produce erroneous impressions in
regard To myself, deem IT proper they shoud be ex-
planned and corrected, and with that view ! ask the
favor of you, who know take lively interest IN all
that the character Of the navy to give this
communication place IN the columns OF your highly
respectable paper
In the first place at page Is of his SYNOPSIS Lieu
tenant Wilkes says In speaking of this cruise TO
the Antarctic, IL will be necessary for me to go more
into detail than intended not only TO substantlae
our countrys claim TO the discovery, but IN conse-
queDce of the uniounded state e that seems 10 hare
been made by Captain Ross 10 Commander IN nary,
and giren currency by him. viz: That Captain Ross
had actually run over part of the ocean where !
had reported the existence OF land"
| am doubtless the Commander here alluded To and
the words have UNDERSIGNED seem TO be intended TO
convey the impression that was the only, or at least
first person, TO whom Captain Ross made this state
ment, and through whose report alone 1t obtained
currency" Such is not the fact. The truth is that
Rosss statement was published in the Sydney Herald
of the 10th Of August, eight days before met that
officer at New Zealand. From that paper il was
pied into the Madisonian OF this city Of 18th March
last. Ii had also reached MaZatan, on the coast OF
Mexico, whence ii was taken to the Sandwich Islands
by Captain Bissell, of the Cayuga, and published IN
the Poll nesan Of the I'd of October days be-
fore my arrival there. The account recev ed from
Captain Ross was not matter of secrecy, and was OF
course spoken OF by without reserve al Honolulu.
Thus, and through other agency Of mine, IL found
its way into subsequent number Of that paper not,
however, an original article, but expressly as
mere confirmation Of what had been previously pub
lishedt This, Lieutenant Wilkes might have learn
ed, if he did not, when he last touched al Oahu,
few days after left there.
| In the next place, at page 26, he says 'On my
original chart had laid down the supposed position
of Bellamy's Island or land in lG4 degrees l65 de-
grees +. longitude and that il traced off and
sent 10 Captain Ross am not little surprised that
so intelligent navigator Captain Ross, on finding
that he had run over this position, should not have
closely inquired into the statements relative to
discoverie, that had been publ shed in the Sydney
and Hobart Town papers, which he must have seen,
and have induced him TO make careful eXamina-
ton of the tracks of the squadron laid down on the
chart sent him, by which he would have assured him.
self, in few moments, that it had been laid
down or claimed as part OF our discovery, before he
made bold assertion to an American officer,
! (meanng myselfD "that he had run clear
ocean where had laid down the land, and am not
less surprised that that officer should have taken 1t
for granted, without examination, that such the
| fact"
! From the above statement, and in the absence of
any explanation, it might II be inferred that both
Ross and myself must be to say the least very short
sighted and dull of comprehension not TO have been
able TO see that it Bellamy's and not Wilkess
land, that he, Ross, had But in the state
meni above quoted, Mr.. Wilkes has done us injustice
| by emitting TO mention one very important fact in
| this connection namely that in laying down the
land Of Beliamy the chart he sent Captain Ross, he
neglected TO Gr thereto The # its dcorerr, or to
distinguish II in any way from his own land there
traced out and almost connected with it. He also
sent Captain Ross letter with his chart but unior-
tunaely the name of Bethany his land is neither
mentioned, even limited at in this letter, Gas may
be from the copy Of il published with his synop-
ss.) In short, no intlmation, IN any manner what
ever was given Ross by Lieut. Wilkes, that he did
OF claim the discovery of all The land marked on his
chart, and TO this alone TO be ascrlbed the
error into which Captain Ross was think, unavoid
/ ably led.
! MIR Wilkes says Ross ought to have examined the
accounts of his discoveries published in the Sydney
and Hobart town papers, before he made so bold an
assertion TO an American officer. But with such evi-
dence the chart and letter of Mr.. Wilkes in his
hands, | apprehend it could hardly have been seri-
ously expected, that he should search the newspaper
accounts (Which probably he never SAW for other or
| better information on the subject.
On my visit TO Captain Ross, on board the Erebus,
| he sprean this chart before me in the presence OF
Captain Crozier and TWO of my officers. Ii was
distnctly drawn out on tracing paperthe whole APP
| pearng, far | observed, connected ope
ration, representing nothing but the result of his
own (Wkes') explorations Ross believing II to be
SUCH had transcribed at length his chart, which
he also placed before us, and pointed out the tracks
OF his vessels marked on it in red ink and passing di
recf!y the spot assigned 10 he land, which we all
considered as laid down by Lieut.. Wilkes to repre-
sent the northeastern limit Of his supp sed Antarctic
| continent and where he (Ross) said they had clear
far as the eye could reach. Such was The evil
dence on which my belief in his report was founded,
To my mind it was conclusive; and cheeriully leave
it for The judgment Of others to determine whether
not, under all the circumstances here stated, it be
just cause Of surprise that Captain Ross should
have boldly asserted that he had over clear
| ocean, where Lieut.. Wilkes had laid down the land,
and that should have taken it for granted, pithom
further eraminaiion that such was the fact.
/ In making this statement, ] say, with perfect
sincerity, am acuated by unkindness of feeling to-
ward Mr. Wilkes but, fully persuaded as am that the
erroneous statement for which he publicly censures
Captain Ross, and shows little temper towards me-
was the result of his own negligence alone, cons-
dered it due to that distinguished navigator as well
as TO myself, that the matter should be publicly
planned.
am very respectfully, sc.