Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-01-08
SMITHSONIAN LECTURES

Or. Rane's Second Lectws--drctic Explorations.
On Wedne. day evening, until about seven O'Clock
the weather was SO very uutayorable that it
thought advisable not to light up ne lecture roonn but
n. the hour OF beginning approached, large an au-
dience had collected that it concluded TO 90 on
and before the lecture commenced the room com
iortablv filled.
DIR Kane proceeded to discuss the supposed position
OF Sir John franklin, and the probabilities OF his
| evenusl rescue.
The lecture opened with an explanatory resume of
Inc geography OF the Arctic regions illustrated with
well prepared diagrams. One of these go arranr-
ed as to exhibit the of search after S John Frank
n and upon were drawn the lines OF icedtt of the
American Expedition
The experience of Parry and his followers prove
that this region is vast Grchpel go, whose main al
proach by large Sounf lied Lancaster; and whose
most prominent passage 10 the north is by large
esu1ry or Met 0aned after the Duke Of Wellington
This Inlet has been frequently Oh erved free from ice
tranklia was ordered by the British Admiralty to
proceed through Lane SQUAD Tor some three hun
dred and fifty miles, to a Cape called Walker: thence
he was TO steer TO the southwark and westward TO-
wards Behring'S Straits. Failing to accomplish his,
ne was ordered 10 attempt passage the north by
Wellington channel DR. Kane, by series of p!seti.
Cal arguments, which to US almost conclusive
SHOWS that THIS was the passage which he adopted
and we see, although few OF the English officers df
ter with hun IN opinion, that the recent publications
oil the British press fully sustain this view The no.
suon OF Sir John Franklln's FIST winter quarters at
tue very mouth OF this channel is conclusive as to the
tact oil that Judlcious commander having conte mplat
ed Its future navigation. 1t was the alternative on
Joued by his orders, and the lecture detailed many
lacts 10 snow that II was fdDOriie alternative DIR
Name, In investigating the naurdIaws which regulate
Inc ce-drtt, showed that the eastern sldos II IN
cnannel are GARNER and more frequently than the
westerns and the peculiar position OF Sir John Frank.
III enabled hun TO see and take advantage OF the verD
first Of these early openings
ADD to tbs the singular and perpexing fact that
RANKIN eft no written record OF his intentions and
II really seems if the ice had suddenly opened 10
the north, and that Sir John with his daring and en-
efgehc prom9tltude, had pushed into this new water
In ft,a. La,;a
notice OF his course. Certain it is that the deserted
encampment bears marks OF hasty departure forcing
us TO the conclusion that Sir John franklin has six
years ago reached the region north of this iee-bound
inlet, and has since been'unable to return
Can he have survived? This question was then Ia.
ken up oy Dr name IN manner that surprised usH We
were unprePared tor the resources which that raoion
evidently possesses for the support of human life Mar
whai, white whales, and sea-he latter in extreme
oundance-crowd the waters OF Wellington channel
indeed 1t was described a region teernino with ami
mai lie The mlgrat of the elder duck the brest
goose, and the auka ORD about the size o. our lea
were absoiueywonderul. The fatty envelope of these
marine animals. known bubber supplies liaht ard
heat, their urs warm and well adapted clothing Their
flesh wholesome and anti-scolbuic food: whiIa The
snow-hut, or lgIoe of the Esqumaux furnishes drv
and comfortable housing In word Dr. Kane nm.
nounced that after careful comparison of all the
natural resources OF this region he was conyipeet thai
food fuel, and clolhnghe hree great conrbulors tn
human ex'sence-"ere here in superabundan, plenty
10 answer TO the superstition OF the entire destruction
OF the vessels and crews OF Sir JOHN franklin bv shin
wreck, or the attack of the ice DR. Kane sad thet
VIVA soins were rare, aud that the simultaneous de-
structon OF both vessels was hard to reaze but even
Supposlng that winds should have fogpdered the shin
or that The ice should have crushed them that same ice
woHid serve Ia either case, means oil escapa In
1882 more than thousand whalers were ca 81 ont
shelterless, upon the ice in Baffn's bay Yet only
seven peri he'd.
The interesting question Of an open sea around the
pole was then taken up Alter citing the theoreti-
cal arguments in favor Of such body of water wbich
we cannot here renew, Dr. Kane mentioned that the
American Expedition under Lieut. De Haven had &c.
tuay seen from their most northern point that unis
taxable sign the dark cloud known the water sky"
ana capt fenny an energetic whaer, for whose views
Or. Kane seemed to have great respect, confirmed
this ''sky" by sighting the water ITSELF
Such an open sea has been vaguely called Poynya
or Pollnya-a term from the Russian, VIII cb
implies an open space DR.. Kane cannot think that
IN literal sense such exists in regions where
the mean temperature far below the point of con-
gelatloD. lie fully advocated, however the existence
oil acomparayey lceless sea, In which the drift never
aEgutinates.
It is this region, far to the north and west Of
the point which the Amefican Expedition reached
| thet he snppoees Sir John Franklin and his compan-
ions to be immured; surrounded by seal, and the re-
sources before described but unabe to leave their
hunting ground and The "frigid Sahara" which
| lnteryenes between them and the word,itom which
| they are shut out.
We can imagine position more calling for hu.
man sympathy than that OF these lost men and we
| iee convinced that the feelings which actuate Dr.
hane, IN his advocacy OF their CAUSE to be att9l-
putedtoa sincere conviction OF the feasibility Of heiY
| release We feel convinced that our community
were unaware OF the strong grounds which existed
sustain the belei III their continued existence; and
repeat, that the "Smthsonlas Institution, founded as
II is by an Englislman, has done well in opening TO US
means OF receiving authentic information which
may have hereafter practical and phllanhroplc ap.
pcaton 10 the rescue Of our British brethren.
The interest in the subject not only Ike II up,
but enhanced by the graphic descrip ion OF the
and perIls OF the lce-world Nat. Int