The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-17
From the National IntsliigsncU.
American Arctic Expeditiom.

Il American Arctic Expedition.
The latest news from Lieutenant De Haven j
mention the receipt of letter at Aberdeen, il
Scotland, from the mate OF the whaleship Aexan
der, Of Dundee, stating that the two American
l vessels, Aduance and Rescue, were west of DeuR
Thumb, Greenland. How far west is not stated
is any thing said OF the state Of the ice The lette
| is dated July 2b, 1850. DeviPs Thumb is situated
| in latitude TAO 10 north, longitude $40 So west
This meager account furnishes but little infor
| nation and affords clue to the probable subse
quent movements of the vessels in their attempt te
pass the middle ice, which almost always occupie.
| a large portion of Balin's Bay, stretching nortt
| and south, having its eastern and western sides
| open water during summer.
Previous advices placed the expedition at the
Whale Fish Islands, latitude 6S0 SO north. longi
| tude $50 IL west, on the 29th of June last; after
which time, up to the 25th of July, it appears Il
have advanced toward the north, about five de-
grees of latitude.
With this very limited knowledge of the progress.
Of the expedition, while it would be idle to enter
upon any speculations as 10 its success failure
the present season, it may yet be well to look at the
passages made across Bafins Bay, by the several
English expeditions, during the last thirty years.
mand of Captain John Ross, passed DEVILS Thumb
about the 18th of July, 1918; it went round to the
north of the middle ice, and reached Lancas ter
Sound, in TAO 8 NJ, SO 2S W., on the 3lst of Au-
gust
Captain Parry entered the middle ice on the 2lst
of July, 1919, in TAO north latitude, and $50 west
longitude; he reached the open water on the 29th,
in 730 81 ~, go 49, W.. having crossed the ice in
q nearly direct western course in eight days.
In 1924 Parry entered the ice the 18th of July,
in latitude TO q NJ, $50 So w. and nearly two
months boring and saving through it; he first met
with open water on the 9th of September, latitude
Captain John Ross passed Black Hook Cape,
(7lo 2T NJ, 500 81 w. "under all sail, having
beautiful view of the land" on the 29th of July,
1899. On the 9th of August he came in sight OF
Tar in IA
ITO 2S' W.) bearing due west, about fourteen
leagues. In this passage from land to land across
Bathns Bay, in eight days, there was obstruc-
ton whatever from the ice; and the water, at the
lowest temperature observed, was 40o.
The position Of Sir John franklin when last
heard from, (Juy Goth, 1859 latitude TAO 49,
north, longitude 66o 10 west-t6O0 1927. Whale
ships had succeeded in clearing the middle ice in
lS45.
On the Goth of July, ls4s. Captain Sir James
Clarke Ross was in latitude 74o N; he does not
give his longitude, but remarks that he was off the
Three Islands of Baffin,' which would make him
about $50 or $50 west. He gained the open water,
west of the ice the Goth Of August, in latitude
75o 30 NJ, longitude $50 w.
Captain Saunders, in the store ship North Star,
reached latitude 73o 80 NJ, and longitude 800 SO
W.. on the 18th of June, 1919 month later he
had gained but 49, of latitude and not quite three
degrees OF longitude. His last letter to the Secre-
tary of the Admiralty is dated 10Th July, ls49, lati
tude TAO 3 ~, longitude 590 40 w.
1t should be noticed that in all these expeditions
the vessels were made as strong wood and iron
could make them," and were fitted out with the
greatest possible care as to provisions, clothing,
and fuel; they had strong and picked crews, and
were commanded and navigated by the most cxpe-
rienced officers and ice masters yet but two OF
them may be said to have accomplished any thing
beyond the line traced by Baffin two hundred years
before and retraced for the first time afterwards by
Captain John Ross, in 1918.
The voyages of Parry in 1925, and of Sir James
Clarke Ross in 1889, were complete failures.
From Sir John Franklin and Captain Saunders no
tdngs have been received of their having succeed
ed in crossing Bafiin's bay.
The success of the American expedition will rest
upon the skill, prudence, and resolution of its COM
mander, and the courage and endurance of his
of their His little craft is too light to bore
saw passage through it, at moment of peril,
when closely pressed
Lieutenant De Haven's position (about TAO NJ,
$50 W. on the 25th of July is not the most favor
able one for reaching Wellington channel this year
Yet two OF the expeditions which have crossed
Batiin's Bay were near the same point about the
same period of the Captain Parry, the year
he made his great discovery, was 74o N, $50 w.
on the 2lst July, 1919; and Captain Sir James Ross
was in nearly the same latitude and longitude on
the 26th of July, lS4s He accomplished few, if
any, of the objects for which the expedition was
fitted out, 1t is true but he reached with ease and
safety his winter quarters in fourteen days less than
twelve months, in the harbor of Port Leopold, ON
the 18th of September.