The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-13

the men; in fact, to such extent have the men
been worked, that in one shop (the smiths) of the
factory some Of the men had only nine hours sleep
during the whole Of last week.
The admiralty have taken up the Emma Eugenia,
transport, at Deptford, TO take out the Goals and
surplus stores for the expedition. Light gutta
percha sledges for the expedition, on plan pro-
posed by Lieut.. Halkett X. N.
On Thursday, Rear Admiral M. r. +. Berkeley,
G. b., and Capt. Sir b. Walker, X 9. b., inspected
the four vessels. The Marquis OF Westminster and
other noblemen have also visited them, and on
Monday next Lieut.. General Sir Thomas Down
man, C. b., X. c. H., colonel commandment, and the
officers of the artillery at Woowich, will entertain
Captain H. j. Austin, C. b., Captain Ommanney,
and the officers of the arctic expedition at the ar
tillery mess.
The crews of the four ships TO be paid six
months advance lin addition to whatever pay may
be due to them) previously to leaving the river
Double pay commences from the time OF the sailing
of the expedition. II has been officially reported
that the four ships will be ready to leave Woolwich
on the 26th April, and be ready for sea on the End
of May.
CAPTAIN PENNY's DEPARTURE.
The Lady Franklin, Captain Penny, and the So
phia, Captain Stewart, sailed from Aberdeen on
Saturday, for the Arctic regions in search OF Sir
John Franklin The two vessels were hauled out
OF the docks at two o'clock, and left the harbor
amid the cheers of some thousands of spectators.
The Lady Franklin is first class clipper brig,
built at Aberdeen, and the Sophais equally strong
though less sharp in her model, and was built at
Dundee. The expedition is under the command OF
Captain Penny, who volunteered his services, and
in recommending him to the admiralty Sir Francis
Beaufort says: 'The daring but prudent conduct
that Mr.. Penny is said to have evnced on many oc-
casions together with the large experience that ne
must have gained during whole life among the
ice, we'll as the ambition he expresses to dstin-
gush himself in this noble enterprise on which all
eyes are turned, lead me to think that 1t would be
wise to let loose his energy, and to give him the
opportunity for which he begs. may add that
believe this would sensibly crafty Lady Frank
lin"
Captain Penny has been to the Arctic regions
almost every year for the last twenty years. He
went to Davis's Straits first an apprentice sea.
man. and had the experience of his father, who had
then been long known as captain OF one or other
of the Aberdeen whalers and soon after his apPren.
ticeship was completed he became first mate, and
then master himself. When commanding one Of
the Aberdeen whalers in 1899, he gathered some
information from an Esquimaux, which led him to
believe that there was an unexpored region In the
Straits Astounding with whales and having got
the young native to come to Scotland, he managed
to educate him to be able to line out chart OF
the unknown bay, and to give such an account OF
its geographical bearings as enabled him next sea-
son to explore it, and to open up new source OF
| supply when whales failed in the ordinary fishing
ground. In this way, and in various other ways,
Captain Penny gained acquaintance with al
most every inlet and sound of Davis's Straits and
it is well known that he has been able to add con-
siderably to stock of knowledge of the icy re-
gions of the North He has most perfect convic-
ton that Sir John Franklin ID yet alive, and is to
pursue his search in the first instance in Admiral
Joness Sound and the Wellington Channel.
The Lady Franklin and Sophia have twenty five
men each, including officers, and are provisioned
for three years. They have each a full supply OF
GOALS but are to receive additional Goals from the
Pacific, of this port, which vessel took out large
quantity when she sailed the other day for Davis
Straits All the appointments of the vessels are of
the most simple and practical description They
have boats similar to those of the ordinary whaer;
ice anchors, ice saws, varying apparatus, and
every sort of machinery necessary to enable them to
make way through the ice. There is also a full and
complete assortment of geographical and astronom-
ical apparatus, and, what is of no small value in
this important expedition, large amount OF dis
cretionary power conferred on the commander
RUMoRs OF SIR J. FRANKLIS.-From Hong Kong
we learn that the ship Vernon had arrived from
California, conveying ga rumor of Sir John Frank
lin having solved the grand geographical problem
a lieutenant despatched by him express having, it
is said, arrived at San Francisco, on his way to
England, via Panama" We imagine that this is
no more than the old California rumor brought
tx,o he