The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-03
From The Nsio York Commercial advertiser, Oct.
The American Searching Expedition.


terday the principal facts connected with the Amer
lean expedition in search Of Sir John Franklin,
learned from the surgeon Of the expedition arrived
in the Advance. The Rescue. the consort of the
Advance, parted company during the storm of the
18th ultimo, and is hourly expected
We have little to add to the particulars given
yesterday. On the Ilth of July. the two vessels
bearing up to run between the Bafiin Islands, the
Advance grounded on rock shoal with only three
feet of water under her bows. Her stern remained
afloat, however, even at that low water. The Res,
cue hauled by the wind just in time to escape a
similar disaster and made fast to iceberg. To-
ward midnight the Advance was hauled off with
out damage.
During the nine months in which the expedition
was ice bound no human being approached them;
nor could excursions to any distance from the YES
sells be ventured upon, the drifting of the fields OF
ice in which the vessels were encased making their
position for any twenty-fo hours altogether I'M
certain Short hunting expeditions under
taken, and some polar BEARS deer foxes, and birds
were taken.
The expedition found no secure harbor while
cruising in the Arctic regions. AS illustration
of the with which life may be sustained in these
attudes, Surgeon Kane mentioned that he met with
a Dane, upward of seventy years of age, who had
spent fifty five years of his life north of 1872 sub
sistng during that period entirely on birds, fsh,
bears, and other animal food. He had not seen a
vegetable the whole time.
The breaking up of the ice is described by the
officers of the expedition commencing with q
noise resembling the whistle of a locomotive, fol-
lowed by singular and constant pulsation of the
ice.
For eighty one days of their ice bound condition
A. A - Il A. IL
except at midday for few moments, when pa
per might be read by holding il up to the faint
light in the SOUTH
II is somewhat remarkable that the English and
American expeditions wintered within fifteen miles
of each other without either knowing it, the Amer.
lean officers only learning ton their arrival at this
port. The return Of the English squadron was also
entirely unexpected by the officers of the American
expedition.
The following extracts from letter from Lady
Franklin TO Mr.. Henry Grinnell have been sup
piled TO the press:
81 BEDFORD PLACE, LONDON, Sept. y, 1851.
My DEAR Nh. GRINNELL: Iwrite to you in much
agitation and confusion OF mind, which you will
not wonder at when you hear that Captain Penny,
with his two ships, has returned, and announces
the approaching return Of Captain Austin's squad
ron, after being out for only half the period for
which they were equipped
Captain Penny's letter is to-day before the board
of admiralty, urging them in the strongest terms
to despatch instantly powerful steamer to Wei
ngton Channel, in which quarter, TO the north
west, he has discovered the passage which there
can be scarcely doubt the ships have taken, since
it is the only opening they have found anywhere,
and hundreds of miles of coast have been explored
in the lower western direction, TO Cape Walker,
Banks Land, and Melville Island, without trace
of them. Drift wood i'll considerable quantities has
come out of this northwest channel, and also a
& 1, risb hirh
pronounces must have belonged to our ships, and
was probably thrown overheard.
Thus the right track of the northwest passage
and the course of the missing ships are identical;
and can only regret that our squadron was not
told they might attempt the making of the passage
If they could, for in that we should have had
no abandoning OF the search till many more strug-
giles had been made to get into Behring Straits.
The barrier of ice in Wellington Channel did not
break up last year, nor had done this, when
Penny left; but his explorations, which extended
to one hundred and eighty miles from the entrance,
were made beyond it IN boat siedges; sixty miles
beyond this he saw water, with land standing to
the northwest can hardly conceive how he could
resist following the open water which he cav be-
yond him, and which he is convinced leads into
the much talked Of Polar basin. He is also con-
WINGED, with Dr. Kane that there is better climate
in those more northern ATTITUDES, with more natu-
raj resources of food and fuel; some proofs of
which he brings forward. We have every reason,
them to hope that some of our lost friends and coun-
trymen may yet be able to SUPPORT life in this re-
gion, though unable TO return by the way which
they came and the absence of any traces of them
north of Cape Innes, on the cast side OF w ellington
Channel proves nothing at all against it, since they
were not likely to linger on their way to examine
shores and islands, but would push on as fast as
possible while the opportunity favored them; and
the next traces to be found would probably be their
second winter quarters.
In confirmation of this view, Penny tolls me that
there signs of their first winter encampment at
Bachey Island, SC, of their having left It sud
denly; and that the summer OF 1916, though ex-
tremely unfavorabc to the whalers, who, on &C
of the prevailing winds, could not cross over
to the west side of Baffn's Bay, must have been
quite the reverse to our navigators. You may I'M
ngine in what state OF anxiety and agitation we
are, till we learn the decision of the admiralty on
the appeal now made to them. have written a
strong letter, also, and / know that Sir F. Beau
fort, Captain Hamilton and MIR. Barron, who are
all at their posts will aege the necessity prompt
measures with all their powers. Should we fail,
we must look to America alone as our resource.
To you will belong all the virtue and credit of con-
tinung the search when our own countrymen
fail and to you will belong the honor and glory OF
succoring the distressed and of settling forever
that vexed question, which for centuries it has
been the ambition of Europe, and OF England IN
particular, to solve. / cannot abandon my husband
and my countrymen to their fate just at the very
moment when the pathway to them has been
found; and, if need be, and my coming to the
| United States would help in engaging the active
and energetic sympathes of your countrymen,
painful, in many respects, as this trial would be-
| would brace up my courage to the proof.
| But my head is growing weak, and my health il
sinking, and then have beloved sister, (not to
| mention aged father, who is not now in state
to be conscious of my absence,) whom it would al
most break my heart to leave am sure you viii
| tell me, with all your accustomed truth, and can
DOR and kindness, what is your view OF this point
IN case the admiralty fail me-.
| Itappears thatit was Captain Austin's intention
to look into Wellington Channel himself, and also
| into Jones's Sound before he returned home; bu
as to the former, Penny says he will find the
| ice impossible, 30 that he will be not TO b.
| able, as eye witness, to see the opening. No
thing, perhaps, could penetrate it in its present
state but the 400 horse power steamer, and thai
cannot be done this year, though Penny says if the
steamer could be ready to sail in three weeks or
month from hence, he thinks he could still get he
| up to Lancaster Sound this season, at any ratt
10 some convenient locality, which would enable
him to commence early operations next spring.
intended writing much more to you about YOU
own two gallant ships, and their winter of almost
unparalleled anxiety, but, az wish to address
| few lines to Judge Kane, believe must forbcar
and refer you TO my note TO him, which shall en-
close and leave open. Captain Penny has studdcc
the northern part of Wellington Channel with you
,,, o,,It he nf hrny md ron