Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-12-04
THE DISCOVERIES IN THE NORTHWEST
FROM rHr mosrnrAL nrnArp o. rovrmprn is


FROM THE MONTREAL HERALD OF NOVEMBER 10.
We are enabled, by the kindness of Gov Sir
GEORGE SIMPSON, to lay before the public the cor
respondence by which it will be seen that the treat
geographical question of the existence Of northwest
ern passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean
is at length set at rest, or nearly so-the northern
shores of America having been completely survey
ed, and, in the words Of the lamented THOMAS
SIMPSON, the precise limits of this great continent
fully and finally established" Under these cir
cumsances, IT may prove interesting TO the reader
to present him with sketch of the history Of this
SO long agitated question, and to give him short
abstract of the several steps in the exploration of
the coast, the completion Of which has, at length,
been effected by Mr.. RAE.
The cause which, at first led to the attempts to
discover northwestern passage from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, was the hope that, through it, would
be found short and convenient route from Europe
to lndla-the jealousy OF the Spaniards and Portu-
guese having blocked up, were from the English and
Dutch their great rivals in commerce. the by the Cape
of Good Hope and the Southern Pacific The discoveries,
however, of Frobher and Davis in the reign Of Queen
Elizabeth and of their successors while they failed in
tanning the existence Of the wished PASSAGE abundany
satisfied the world that if ultimately discovered would
be found from its vicinity the north poe and its being
nuay encountered with ice, utterly useless for the purposes
of navigation
The settlement Of the great geographical question contnu
ed Notwithstanding interest the world of science, and its
determination has within late years. called forth the utmost
efforts of the British Government. In 1919 .-rsli,isrI
Bains Bay, under the command of Captain
Ross which resulted his disbelief the existence of any
passage His seccad in command, Lieutenant Parry, had,
however come different conclusion and on returning
with new expedition, succeeded in penetrating the Polar
Sea- through Lancaster Sound. He there found chain
large islands lying parallel to the American coast and among
them continued his navigation until stopped by the
of in the straits and channels through which be had
to pass. This circumstance induced him to make his
attempt by Sir Thomas Raes Welcome channel running
from Hudson's Bay.
He here also found strait communicating with the
Polar Sea- but encountered with ice preclude the hope
Of its aoding open passage. He renewed his eff
or but without success, by Lancaster Sound. The OBJ
saces which he had formerly been unable still
nued and prevented him from making any material addition
his former discoveries While these far successful voy-
ages in progress Captain Franklin the
head of two successive expeditions by land and by actual
survey, ascertained hreeourhs of the northern boundary
of America, his operations terminating point
yond the l49th degree Of west longitude.
On the other hand, expedition under Captain Beachy,
sent to meet Captain Franklin his second osome journey
passed the Icy Cape of Cook and penetrated nearly far
the l56h degree of west longitude leaving nearly de-
grees hundred and sixty miles, between the arthest
point thus reached from the and the limit reached
by Captain Franklin from the In the of 1887,
Messrs Simpson and Dease officers Of the Hudsons Bay
Company surveyed the coast between the points reched by
Captains Franklin and Beachy and in the following
1888 and $780, having reached the Polar Sea from the
interior by the Copper Mine river continued their survey
the up the seth degree of longitude point pre-
viously visited by Capt Back.
Thence they forced by the advanced
TO their winter quarters Great Bear lake. The only por-
ton of coast then remaining unsuveyed that between
Simpson and Deases extreme east point and Parys Straits
of the Fury and Heca and but for Mr. Simpsons disastrous
death in $40 he would have been entrusted with the
mand of the expedition the successful result of which
ted in Mr.. Raes letter.
The results of all these explorations and surveys would
appear prove thawith the exception Of Capt Ross pc
nnsula Of Booha Felix, which stretches north
entyfour degrees of latudethe northern Of America
extends from the Atlantic the Pacific in line not varying
much from the parallel of the 18th degree Of laude and
that the existence Of naval passage in the line OF Captain
Pays first voyage all but demonstrated We need scarce
y add that whatever benefits may science and nav
CATION from these important discoveries will be great
due the enlightened iberay Of the Hudsons Bay
Company, at whose expense these latter expeditions have
been carried on and the intpd, perseverance and self
devotion Of their officers.