New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-04
A Visit 20 the Arctic Discovery ships
r,or, D,rten,,s Household Words'

=, y ,..h ~ the f,1- .hins that we're being
-. ressy N go in search o. the lost Sir JJnn
Franklin and his companons-no" iour years uu
heard Of and believed 70 be iroZen up ~ lns 70
eions OF thckribbed ice at the North POE. 10
Of the Arctic ships were put IN dry dock ana no
seost IN the river. The names n the ships NJ PIX
together b. an old sailor IN our hearing express
their mission The 'ResOlgte, Intrepid, fio-
reeri GOES with Assistance 70 SIR John Ffaukln
ard bis frOzenup PACK.
We had followed the workman with the aTsic'A
memory and by thls time stood beside the ar
dock 10 which one Ut the vessels the Fioneer'
steamer. was fixed upright and out OF water. Ilefe
she stood in fne massive granite basin, the sides
,f which were fashioned into steps Down there
We went and then walked round and under n'r
from stem o. stern and IN doing 50 could see What
rreparation hal been made 70 ht her 10y the au-y
She had % Co. This steamer had been IN The iJr-
eign cattle trade aud he'd brought, 4 seems, mAay
a drove from the fields OF Flanders, and from the
hills Of Spain 20 make fatal acI1aiutarce with the
sboninatiors Of Smit. field Boush. olt Of that IN
savorv service As strong capable steamship she
had been placed in this granite cradle, and been
swathed outside with tarred felt upon the top ot
which additional planking vas then nxed. upon
her bows where the shock OF the ice "ou.l DC most
severe another LAYER Of felt WAS then applied, and
over this was riveted tough sheets Of iron With
this metal casing her stem was complete. Al ner
stern IS she stood thus out OF water We mad an eN-
ceuent opportunity Of inspecting the screw by
which she was TO be imPe. Ell. This was o. a bra
zen compound metal prepared With view Vosrea.
strength and tOughness; but ~ It's bows upon me
stray floating ice might injure L. another screw u
iron was on board - replace il should it be br1kcl
when DOT OF reach Of dOckyard heip. Having
passed round the vessel aud boxed up AZ her huge
bullying Sides We assembled the stone steps, AMI
walking along plank from the dock side, b)ani5t
the Pioneer, b see--a.ler sucn outside pr-para-
tions-Vhat care had been taken with the aside
Of the sbip Ii was soon evident that the fs.ting
and pianking OF the exterior Lad been matched 0y
4 similar telling aud piankng ol the interior win
this difference that inside the iet vas uuracrel.
These additions 70 ,he thickness Of her sid 20
make her firm AMI warm. had been .0lowed by
another contrivance, 20 give her stu further ability
to Withstand any crushing weight she might nave
% endure. Strong beams had been placed as AM,
from her keel and her decks outga q aat upward
toward her sides and lastly, ner decks had been
doubled so that, thus secured, she became almost
rs capable Of resisting outward pressure as solid
block ofoak Having thus strengthened this iJa-
ing fortress against the fierce assaults OF the Giant
Frost we turned 10 look how they had stored .; %
withstand the beleaguering siege Oft may oe-a
two Or three years Arctic " Inter. Here ~ Olld
sn ample field Tor wonder ana admiration surely
human ngenuity@nd ships sewage were never
better displayed Every inch of space had been
made the most Of IL leceurcrO % the vessel we're
her engines, cased round with ron. go that outside
them could be slowed away ~ less than - runs Of
patent com pressed fuel 10 feed TIE Tres. TINS sur
rounded, the engines were literally belded Ia
small coal mine. for their own consumption
The danger 10 be appreheaded from the close
ccntiauity az So much cOmbustiDle material q the
engine tire is obviaed, in case Of accident by eight
pumps on the decks and tSo patent pumps on the
decks and tyo patent pumps below, beside others
in the cngluero0ms. There are fourteen pumps
altogether " hich can be handled in case of fire OF
L., off hog asar - 4.
some are placed j., warm b. rths below, so that the
men NAV have exercise at them without exposure
on deck. Nearly all these pumps work indie
pendentiy Of each her, so that II one IS deranged
il does lot hurt the rest
Tie Que ston as To how the ship is to be Kept
warm. was answered by our being conducted deep
down into the hold there we found patent stove
constructed that pure AR was admitted BY pipes
to It's neighborhood, All being heated there was
passed through other pipes through all parts OF the
ship Until having lost much OF us heat and more OF
its purity, il was allowed - escape, and was re.
placed by another stream of pure air 10 be warmed
and used aui replaced again 80 from day TO
day while the ships remained In the ice This
warming apparatus the - tuns Of iue! the tour
years provisions and the Bolton and Watts en-
eiues, occupied in spite OF the most perfect stow
age, so much room, that il was puzzle 70 know
where the water was slowed
twas. however explained that s. tuns o. coal
round the engine is not al that must 60 The ship
want much water nom, for along with the engine
is a contrva-ce for melting ice for use while tue
ships are locked In.
The salt sea there is a surface Of ice that comes
direct from Heaven. Tue snow IS not sailed, aud
the IRE Will melt the snow made ice Tor the ships
use.
Having learned all these particulars as 70 tia es
sentials Of warm air aud good water, and having
heard an account Of the four years provisions, with
a certainty that there was sti further supply near
the Copper Mine River IN case Of need and nav
log learned also that the doctors had got ample
supplies Of lime juice and lemon juice 70 keep of
the scuryy and that they had mixed II with alcOhO
10 renderit less liable to freeze having seen, too
tina. the purser thoughtful man, bad not forgotten
10 order in me sound looking casks OF pale sherry,
and some cases that had an agreeable champagney
French look, and these sights having strengthened
the hope that the brave men who were 70 take
these SHIPS on their perilOus duty would have their
hearts warmed by glass Of generous wine when
they drank to absent friends next Christmas day
We had time 20 glance over what may be callei
the miscellaneous stores for the voyage. These
made picture, indeed. Everything OF every pos
sble kind seemed TO be there, and TO have been
multiplied by two Thus there were two screw
propelers and two rudders, and two tunnels. And
lie "A there we're certainly twice tw0 dozen ice
saws with teeth sn inch lOng and handles eight
feet wide) and ice-hatchets enough apparently 70
SAY any number OF polar bears who might eel in
clined 70 call upon this Pioneer during her visl,
10 their neighbOrhood. Between decks the place
locked like mingled establishment made up Of a
rope.wak, a ssilmakePs, a curriers', a brshma
hers, dreadnought ciothers, coOpers, and a
very extensive oil and color warehouse There
were certainly goods enough pertaining 70 all these
various trades 10 set up one man OF each with an
abundant stock in any street IN BermOudsey he
micht select. Over head there was a ceiling OF
oars ana spare spars, an4hanispikes. and capstan-
bars at the sides rows Of blocks, aud lan.horns,
and cans, and paint brushes; and under foot bars
Of iron cssed with neatly sewed leather. This last
peculiarly, indeed, was observable IN many parts
Of the ship. Wherever there was any iron il was
neatly cased over with leather, to secure those
wfo iri.ht have TO handle il in the Polar seas from
the vel known consequences OF touching nakei
L.. IL - =. t.