The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-15
Fstc Of Sar John Franklin.
INTERESTING DEBATE BEFORE THE ERfrrsU


FIR m the london Tuee, Sept. rs
MIR. A. q. Findlay furnished to the geographical
section paper "On Arctic and Antar tic Cure ats
IN connection with the expedition of Sir John
Frank in" Tee writer said, he entertained no
doubt rs 70 the fate Of the missing v1ysgers; but
He expressed his belief In the truth OF the story
of the vessels seen floating the ice at the north
edge OF Ne wfoundlaod, on the 26th of April 1851
by the Renovation. It had been urged that Sir
John F ankln would not abandon 1is ships; but
they could Lot float unints ruptealy such dis
tar CO; that they would have been seen By the
sealers on the Labrador coast; that the account IN
1ns log ,,s S .5sa materially from the vee sta e
Others SET down the story as pure invention.
We'll, rey bad to combat t.ese statements, aud
eganss the were the consistent statements Of the
wloe crew, ~ we'll As Mr.. Simpson, the passenger.
As to the possibility OF the two ships ioatlug at
such o distance in company with each other there
never was tie slightest doubt OF the southern set
out Of Bsfan's Bay and DAviss strsite, aud the
quants2 ~ Ice moving was very great. l. wa. the
prevsinAg opinion Of Arctic voyagers tnst Sir john
Franklin vent up TIE Wellington Cea,nc in the
early sp Ing Of lS45 Supposing ti.t he dill So and
dred niles and then become embedded in tue pack.
The ships would drift BE- 70 the Wei 1ng,oo Coan-
mel, towards TIE north coast Of Greenland or he
m,got have taken second season; or perhaps he
detained for th ee or four years. had desc ted the
ships, ~ In the case Of the Investigator, which
vessel II might Be inferred, would SAFELY drift out
In the course OF time, without any human ait.
Had they drift<d out of Lancaster Sound, the pro
bsbtiity was, that they would have passed 30 cloe
TO Labrador ~ TO have been seen BY the seaers On
the 20tD Of April, le4l, two waterl,gged chips
we're seen Just about the spot 30 That supp g.
hg the first story TO be creditabe, the fate OF Sir
John franklin WIS brought within narrow limits
though still greet and painful mystery. Yet they
trusted that the return OF the expedition now ia
search Of Sir John would furnish them With some
information. This was their last hope.
DR.. 6coSstby gave some interesting details con.
nected WITH Arctie life expressing bis opinion tbs,
there ereisaDds further in from Melville Island
npon which the crews Of the Erebus aud Terror
could have btsined su-tepance. He observed IN Il
navigator had yet sailed further north than so Or
sol Deg ees.
The President (Sir r. l. Nurchsor) ssked if it
were not The speaKers opinion that Sir John Frank
lin night have taken refuge on an leland in tho
longitude Of Wellington Straits, % far north a.
Spitsbergen, ard which was M yet undiscovered,
and whether they might not there DO able to get
provisional
DR. scoresby replied in the Affirmative.
Admiral Beechy said that be did not imagine that
Sir John would be IN position, after abandoning
bis ftipe, 70 obtain sufi icrt for winter supply.
- added that he thought fbere we're scarcely any
b = - c. 10 now,