The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-06-02
The A,etso Exv>s dAtson-

The Arctic Expedition.
The National IneIgsenoes gives the following letter
Of instructsss received by Lieut. De Haven from the
Secretary OF the Navy. previous II his sailing in
search Of Sir John Franklin:
United SrATrs Nav DIPARrssSr.
WAsnisGro>, Wednesday, May Is. 1850
sir:-Hsving been selected 10 command the expodi-
ton in srarch Of Sir John Franklin. and his oomps-
nicns you will take charge Of the two br,ntin.s tho
Advance" ard Rescue" that have been fitted out
with them to sss, and mako the best OF your wsy to
Lancaster Sound
These vessels have been furnished to the govern
p'n for this service by the munitccnoc OF private
citizen, slr Henry Grinnell OF New York You will
therefore be careful Of them, that they may bo re-
turns TO their owner in good condition. They have
been proyislons i;for three years
Paced M!d-hpinan :. p Griffin has been selected to
command Of the vessels You will therefore oon
| slider him your second in command Confer with
HIM and treat him accordingly.
The chief object Fl this expedition Ia TO search for
and found afford relief to Sir John Franklin of the
Royal Navy and his companions
| You will therefore all diligence and make every
exerton to this end paying attention, 40 you go, to
s.bj,cts scientific inquiry, only far the
may interfere with the main object Of the exped
! ton
Having passed Barrow Strait you will turn your at
ttnton nor; Inward to Wellington Channel and west
ward to Cape Walker, and be governed by circum-
stances ss to the course you will then take.
Accordingly you will exercise your own discretion
after seeing HE condition Of the ice. aud weather
whether the two vsssels shall here separator for
Cape Walker. and the other for WELLINGTON STRAIT
whether they shall both proceed together for the
should you ind It impossible, on account Of the Ice,
TO get through Barrow Strait, you will then your
attention To Jones Sound and Smiths sound Find
ing these closed mpracticable. and failing of oil
traces of tho missing expedition. the will
baby then be too far advanced for other attempts
IL So you will return 20 New York
AcquAint Psss,d Midshipman Griffin, before sailing,
aud from time to time during the voyage fully, With
all your plans aud intentions; aud. before you sail
from New York appoint place Of rendezvous; change
IL NJ often ss circumstances may render change de-
sirable. but always have place of rendezvous hxsd
upon so that in the two vessels OF the expedition
may at sny time become separated, each msy know
where to look for tho other.
Nearly the entire Attic front of the continent has
been secured without finding traces OF tho missing
ships 1t Is useless for you 20 go there or to rock
anime Bny other place where search has already boon
made You will therefore combine your attention TO
the routes already indicated.
The point Of mum cold is said To be in the Wei
nifty of Parry Islands To the north aud west Of these
there IL probably comparative open In summer,
and therefore a milder climate.
This opinion to be sustained by the fact that
b ats and fowls are migrating the Zoe FROM
the mouth of Mackenzie river, and its neighborins
bly, led by their wise instincts to seek genial
climate in that direction and upon the borders Of the
There other facts, elected by Lieut.. Msury In
the course OF his Investigations touching the winds
and currents Of the which 60 also to condrm
the opinion that beyond the icy barrier that il gene
rally mt with in the Attic there is Polins
fes Tree from ice.
You have assisted In these Investigations at the Ma
ionnl Observatory and doubtless Of the cir
cumstancts which authorize this conclusion IL u
therefore needless TO repeat them.
This supposed open SEQ and warmer region to the
north and west of Parry Islands unex plored--
Should you succeed in hndng any opening there,
either after having cleared ellington Strait after
having cleared Parry Islands BY northwardy course
from Cape Walker enter ~ far in your judgment IL
nisy be prudent to enter and search every hcsdand
promoDtory and cons picuous point tor signs and
cords OF the missing party Take particular care to
avail yourhei OF every opportunity ior leaving rs you
So records and signs to tell OF Jour welfare progress
and intentions
For thi, purpose you will erect nag STATS mako piles
Of stones other marks in conspicuous places with
bottle or barrca buried ut the base containing your
letters
Should the two vessels be separated you will direct
Passed Misshipman Grimm to do likewise.
Avail yourself Of every opportunity either by the
Erquimaux or otherwise to let the Department. hear
particular ~ to your future plans intended route
II by any chance yop should penetrate so far beyond
the icy barrier ~ to make IT, in your judgment
prudent TO push than to turn back You will do so
and put yourself In communication with any OF the
United states naval forces officers Of the govern
mrnt serving in the waters OF the Pacific In China
according TO your necessities and approximations
Those oficcrs win be instructed to afford you every
facility possibe TO enable 10 reach the Western
Coast Of the United States In safety
the event Of your falling in with any Of tho Bril-
tsnce OF which they may stand In need and Which i,
m ~ be Ia your power 10 give Offer, also, to make
them acquainted With your intended routes and plans
ARD De ready To anord them Information which
yeu may haye become possessed concerning the object
during your absence on this service, you Will
account commit or suffer any ono Of the expedition
enemy. q Whatever he may be.
Notwithsts ndirg the directions In which you have
may on arriving out upon the n,id OF operation, sd
that by depsrtng FROM them your search would pro-
badly be more efectual
The dophTtmt mt has every confidence In your judq-
ncnt andrclics implicitly upon your discretion aud
should appear during the voyage that by directing
ysur attention to points not nsmed In this let.er
traces Of the absent expedition will probably be found
you y vi not fail TO esam me such points Hut you will
account u.orsy hazard The safety OF the vessels
asrits 40
danger tho officers and committed your charge
Unless circumstances should favor you by enabling
you To penetrate before the young ice b. gins make
In the fall far into the rlor.d regions or TO dis
eov,r recent traces Of the ships aud their gal
leht crows or unless you should gsin position from
which You could operations in the season Of
1851 With decided advantage you will endra yos not to
be caught In the ice during the ensuing winter. but
amer having compl't ted your examinations for tho
the fall
You especially enoned not TO spend III. can he
svosed more than or. winter In the Arctic regions
"fhing Jou and your gallant companions oil sue
eess In ysur noble onterPrse, and with trust in
God that lie will take you and them in lis holy keep
ing, an, very respectfully
Your obcdirnt servant.
WM. BALLARD PRESTON
To EpvI, ~ Havr-. II commanding the Am Are
Expedition. &c, New York.
clifton
The Advance J De Haven commander; WIN. II.
Ehtha II Kane. surgeon. Men-wm. Morton. Jas
Smith, Edward Boyd. John BunIon Levi. Costrr Nd
vaIo Wison, lhome. Dunnipg. Henry DeFoGe. VIA.
Holmes. Gibson Carather Daniel Vaughan WIN W.sst
Clss Berry. and Edward &. Dclano
The Resoue-S. J.. GfiEln. commander; Il. II Carter
fret cheer. Henry Brooks, second officer; Benjamin
Nre,laud. surgeon. Msn-Rufus G Boggs. Jno Will
iamr Robert Bruce, II. u. White VIM. Benzon. WIN
LOGON. }. a Kpsup. Smith Bcnjsmiu. DAVID Dsvls,
James johnson, James Stewart. Alexander DAILY, aud
". }. kurncr.
Tvs CAssL BirsE AT BusH~EILs D,u--One OF the /
most formidable breaks in the Erie canal which has
ever occurred tom place on Tuesday evening ~
mill fltsr
81 this city and shout two miles ~ Pittsford viii
lsr- The leak was discovered about sundovn. aud |
before the alarm could be given. the north crib1nk
meut was swept away and the water th- level be-
tween the Pttsford and Macrdon locks distance OF
fourteen miles poured through the breach with great
force. The part ~ the embsnkmcnt which gave way
was covcrCd by slaughter and warehouse. which wa
swept away together with DO barrels II salt The
breach about 100 feet wide the top aud 30 at the
tott' ~, and tho sandy earth torn cut down TO level