The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1851-05-23
The Expedition in Search Of Sir. John
Franklin.

FRANKLIN H
The London Spectator makes copious extracts
from the narrative of Mr.. Snow, who was a vol
unleer on the Alberta vessel fitted ont by La
dy rankin The Albert, while in the Arctic
region, fell IN with the American vessels in
search of Sir John Franklin; and Mr.. Snow
! pays the following high (and we doubt not we'll.
merhedl compliment to the spirit and enterprise
OF the American officers
1.-The Americans intended to push on wherey-
or tney could-this way or that way, as might
De found best--in The direction OF Melville island
and parts adjacent-especally Banks Land: and
they meant TO winter wherever thev mIcht
chance to be, in the pack or out of the pack AS
long as they could be moving or making any
progress in any direction that might assist in
the object tor which they had come, they meant
stiii to be going on, and, with the true charac.
terlstic o! the American, cared FOR no obstacles
or lmpedments that might arise in their way.
Neither tear nor the necessary caution which
might easily be alleged as an excuse for hesita.
ton or delay at periods when anything like fan.
cled danger appeared, was to deter them. Hap
py fellows! thought /; no fair wind nor open
prospects will be lost with you; no dissension or
lncompetency among your executive officers
exists TO stay your progress. Bent upon one
errand aione-your minds set upon that before
you embarked-no trifles nor common DANCER
VIII prevent You daring everything for the car
rylhg out OF your mission. Go on, then, brave
sons Of America! And may at least some share
OF prosperity and success attend your noble ex-
ertons!
The Advance was most extraordinarily forti-
ned to resist any pressure of the ice, and to en-
able her TO force her way against such iulpedi
| ments as those she encountered this evening.
Her bow was one solid mass of timber-I be-
lleve am right is saying from the foremast.
lter tlmoers were increased in size and number
SO that she might well be said to have been
doubled inside as well as out. Her deck was
also doubled, then leled. and again lined inside;
while her cabin had, in addition, sheathng of
cork. The afterpart Of the vessel was remark.
ably strong; and a movable bulkhead, which
ran across the forepart of the cabin conld at any
time be unfastened to afford free communities
| ton fore and aft when needed The crew if
remember rightly, lived in strongly-built round
house On deck and amidships, one end of which
was converted into cook-house, called gal.
ley,' and another the pantry Ten men formed
The number OF the working seamen; there were
no ice masters but most of the sailors were
long accustomed TO the ice. A steward and
cook completed the full complement of the ship.
| ne auFdHCc was lndUDeu OV sixteen per-
sons, officers included. Her commander Lieu.
tenant De Haven, "a young man about 26 years
! o. age.) has served in The United States Explo>
ring Expedition, under Commodore Wilkes, in
the Antarctic seas. He seemed as fine a speci-
men OF seaman and rough and ready officer
as have ever seen. Nor was he at all def.
| clent IN the true characteristics of true gen.
] tlemaR, although the cognomen is so often mis-
4 q 9nnliod q nd ilt.npdorrfooI Il
eye, countenance bronzed and apparently in
ured to all weathers, bis voice gave unmistakes-
/ BILE signs OF energy, promptitude, and decision
There was no mlstaking the man. He was un-
doubtedly well fitted to lead such an expedition.
His second in command Oor they were very
differently organized from us,) was still young.
er, and more slim, but withal of equally deter
mined and sailor like appearance. Next to him
was junior officer, of whom saw but little,
and that little was enough to tell me that the
executives under Captain De Haven would be
| efficient auxiliaries to him. Last of all, though
not least among them, was one of whom | must
| be excused for saying more than a causual
word or two. II was DIR. Kane, the surgeon,
naturalist journalist, &c, Of the expedition
| or an exceedingly slim and apparently fragile
| form and make, and with features far more suit
ed to genial cline, and to the comforts Of
pleasant home, than 10 the ronghness and hard
ships of Arctic voyage, he was vet very old
traveller both by sea and land Ills rank as
surgeon in the American navy, and his appoint
ment at three days notice to this service, were
sufficient proof of his abilities, and of his being
considered capable OF enduring all that would
have to be gone through.
"lf ever vessel and her officers were capa-
bic of going through an undertaking in which
more than ordinary difficulties had to be encoun.
tered, had no doubt it would be the American;
and this was eVinced to me, even while we were
on board, by the apparently reckless way in
which they dashed through The streams OF heavy
ice running off from Leopold island. hap
pened to go on deck when they were thus en-
gagged and was delighted to witness how gall
lantly they put aside every imped;ment in theif
way. An officer was standing on the heel Of
the bowsprit, coming the ship, and issuing his
orders to the man at the wheel, in that short
decisive, yet clear manner which the helmsman
at once we'll understood and promptly obeyed
There was not rag of canvass taken in nor
moments hesitation. The way was before them,
the stream of ice had to be either gone through
bodily or longer detour made, and, despite the
heaviness of the stream, they pushed the vessel
| through in her proper course. Two or three
shocks, as she came in contact with some large
pieces, were unheeded; and the moment the last
block was past the bow the officer sang out, SO!
Steady as she goes on her course and came aft
as if nothing more than ordinary sailing had
been going on. observed our own little barque
nobly following in the Americans wake; and
as afterwards learned. she got through il pret-
tg well, though not without much doubt of the
propriety of keeping on in such procedure after
the mad Yankee, as she was called by the
mate.
"If had ever before doubted the daring and
enterprise of the Americans, what saw and
heard on board of the Advance would have re-
moved such doubt; but these peculiar features
in The Stars and Stripes were always apparent
to me, and admiringly acknowledged. was given
brief history Of their voyage 10 the present
time, as also an outline of their future plans"
PENNsYLvANIA's CALIFoRNIA.-A joint
committee of the Legislature of Pennsyl-
vania, says the Philadelphia Ledger, esti-
mates the value of the present annual yield
of the coal mines of Pennsylvania at S17,-
100000, and the annual product of furn-