Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-10-18
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

Surgeon KANE, of the American Arctic Expedi
tion has addressed The following letter to the mu
ni6cent patron of that enterprise, Mr.. HENRY
GRINNELL:
REsssELAER, HEAR PHILApELpHIA,
TUESDAY, OCToBER 6, 1851.
Mr DEAR sra You ask me whether have changed the
views expressed you when parted May Of las yea
TO the fate aad actual position Of Sir John Frabkas party
and you remind that then thought the nor,hward pas
sage, by Wellington Channel, the one which they had
most probably taken.
have nothing since change this opinion bot many
things to confirm You know that Sir Johns instruction,
gave hm the alternative OF this course after making de-
cidtd effort proceed the southward and westward from
the Deighborhood Of Cape Walker, and need not renew
you the arguments that have demonstrated his
to avail himself Of this discretion.
Now, observation well as all the Information
which have derived from other sources makes seem an
almost unvang fact that the ice holds much longer in those
parts OF the Sound which the and soul of Wei
ngton channel than in the channeitsef should think il
quite safe to say that under ordinary circumstances the
navigation, though obstructed and difficult would be practi-
cable weeks earlier by the northern than by the
en route II seemed to me- too very nearly demonstrabe
from ascertaned facts that the earlier leads the
en side o wellington channel The currents from the pole
toward the equator modified, of course by the rotary
movement OF the earth and experience during our
long drift down the shore Of Bafns Bay confirmed
the representations OF all the whaers met that in the
months OF the season the greater Of polar track their
lively free.
The position of Fankns party in the winter of ls45 and
lS46 has now been defntivey ascerained II in the
between Cape Riley and the socaed Beechey Island
which In fact peninsula forming the southeastern cape Of
wellington channel His encampment occupied the
row strip Of low land between Lancaster Sound and this
channel and commanded full view Of the clad waters of
both. The traces of his parties continued norhcardly We
discovered the unmstakeable marks of sedges extend
ing toward the north. These were in place. well de-
ned on the shnge limestone, and further the harden
ed snow Of former years. There can be Doubt them
either that Sir John did in fact proceed north FROM bis rst
wnterng ground that at least he made observations in
that direction to considerable and do not know how
great distance.
So much for deduction the immediate results of your
expedition jointly with the British exploring parties say
jointly for You that all moved together and that
the discoveries at and Cape Riley made the same
time by gentlemen of both nations
Whether Sir John Franklin had penetrated to the south
ward and westward before making harbOr this point is
question Of minor Importance We know that he wintered
the great channel and from what all the world knows
the character Of Sir John it is in the slightest degree prob
able that be would Beehey after the ice had opened
along the eastern shores Of Wellington inlet in the hope
being able to penetrate to south and west later pc
rod the ice did become detached he would avail himself
OF the earliest leads if he resolved his
tack when the season should be advanced in order
then push bis way toward Cape Walker He certainly did
leave his quarters early in l846, and there marks
which might support the idea that be did sosone,cha hastily,
as if avaing himself Of unexpected pathway II there
no traces of him in the direction Of Cape Walker there
OF later date than S45 and lS46 in the neighbor
hood OF beechey, the inference to irresistible that
he passed norh,card by Wellington channel and that he
did not return.
He might be able do without having encountered any
fatal accident We ourselves, you know, caught
nearly opposite poor Fankns first sojourn and borne north
card IN the Ice for fifteen days. directly against the heore
cal currents and with great rapidly We at this time
high and domeke ranges of land trendng nohwestwadly
ahead Of u.s. in the latitude of 76 degrees least and prob
ably much further The Of polar drift must then be
less to the northwest and have its of greatest
Ice accumulation along the northern of what call
Cornwalss Island Into the region north and of this
which for aught know my be open always, and which
must be open sometimes, knOU, continuance of
drift for few days longer would have carried the American
squsdron and it is not difficult imagine that Sir John if
caught in the ice of Wellington channel may have been i'm
PEELED BY like cause in the direction certainly if he
was not caught be would follow the open should
say that he is to be sought for north and Of Corn
wais's Island.
AS to the chance of the destruction his party by the
casualties Of ice the return Of party after something
more than the usual share Of them the only fact that
add TO what we knew when set The hazards from
cold and prvaon Of food may be almost looked upon sub
ordinate. The snowhut the FIRE and light from the
lamp fed with blubber, the SEAL the narwhal the white
whale and occasionally abundant stores of migratory birds,
would sustain vigorous e The scurvy, the worst visitation
OF explorers deprived Of quarters
the depths polar winter than in the mder weather of the
moist and two little vessels encountered both
without losing man.
My impressions are, think sufficiently definite the
manner in which such expedition should proceed with
ference to its great objects but Twill not inict you longer
letter, upon topics which has been within my official
sphere consider and which my friends the officers with
whom have associated better qualified decide than
myself. am, dear sir very truly yours,
Ell KANE, P. A. Surgeon U. 8. Navy.
HESRr GRINSELL, Esq, New York.