Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-11-08
OF SIR JOHN FRANLIN.


The reported discovery of the remains OF this
ilustrious navigator Whatever doubts may be
thrown upon the credbility of the narrative
furnishes a suitable occasion for collecting the
scanty details of his biography, which have thus
far been communicated to the public. SIR
John Franklin was born in 1886, and would
accordingly have been 68 years of aye had he
survived to the present time. His native place
was Spilsby, small town in Lincolnshire, in
the vicinity of the North Sea. From his earli-
est years he betrayed certain holiness of dis
position and love of adventure. His father en-
| deayored to cure him of bis sea faring propen-
Sites by permitting him to try the experiment
| of a voyage to Lisbon In trading vessel. lie
was confirmed in his taste for the ocean, and
would not be satisfied until he had procured the
consent of his father to his entering the navy
| He obtained a midshipmau's warrant IN his
! fourteenth year. His first service was IN the
! frigate Polvpheme, where he was distinguished
for his youthful courage and energy. lie was
! in the battle of Copenhagen in 1901, and two
years after accompanied his relative, Capt. Film
ders, on a voyage of discovery to the South Sea,
during which he was shipwrecked on the coast
! of New Holland. At subsequent period, he
was in the Bellerophou at the battle of Trafal
gar In 1914 he was a lieutenant in the Bed
ford, which brought the allied monarchs to
England. He was concerned in the attack on
New Orleans, where he gained great credit by
his bravery and skill. In 1918 he commanded
the brig Trent in the Polar Expedition under
Capt. Buchan After the failure of the search
for the North West Passage by Capt Rose, he
received the commission in 1879 to undertake
an expedition by Iaud from Hudson's Bay tC
the mouth of the Copper Nine River, in con
d 4 n I'll,
ate with Capt Parry, who was to visit the re-
zion nv water. On this expedition he followed
the coast as far rs Cape Turnagain, 68 deg. 81
min. north latitude, and after Incredible hard
ships. having been once rescued from death 81
the Indians. he returned to ENGLAND in 1922. -
He was promoted to the rank of Post Captain
and three years after undertook second expe
dition to the Polar Sea. visiting the coast be
tween Mackenzie River and the Copper Mine
River. Bv the middle of Aug, 1927, he hal
reached the SEVENTEEN degree of latitude, ant
the one hundred and fiftieth degree of longitude
but was compelled to return by the early set
ting in of extreme cold weather. In recogni
ton of his merits on this expedition he receives
the order of knighthood from George the ~
In 1890 he commanded ship of the line il
the Mediterranean, anG afierward was appoint
ed Governor of Van Diemen's Land from whic
post he was recalled in March, 1913. Return
ing to England in the Spring of 1915 he wa
entrusted with the command of the fatal eXpe
dition in which his life has fallen sacrifice
The two vessels, Erebus and Terror, in whic
J the Younger Rose had accomplished his expo
dition 10 the South Pole, were selected for tn
yovare and two distinguished officers, Capt'
Crozier and Fitziames, were appointed rs hi
companions The Expedition sailed on tn
10Th of Nav, l845, arrived az the Whale Fls
} Islands on the 4th of July, and was seen for tn
. last time in Melville Bav. on the 26th of tha
! month. 1t was not until after the return {
/ Cant. Rose in 1919, who had been sent ]
; search of the missing navigators, that geners
J anxiety was felt for their safety. In 1850 a
J Expedition was fitted out by Lady FRANKLIN
and another BY the British Government to see
; the lost vessels About the same time. on
! townsman, Mr.. Henry Grinnell, dispatched III
} two ships Advance and Rescue for the sam
purpose. This unsuccessful result of those r.
/ petitions are well known. During the pas
J wear a large feet was sent ont by the BIRTHS
} Government TO make renewed search for )
the Advance, unuef rrr ri,ifsall Iq-lso dislatche
on a similar errend. But all in vain BefGr
) the announcement Of the recent intelligence n
further hope was cherished that the lives of tn
brave explorers had been preserved. The
names were some time since stricken from III
Admiralty list, and orders issued for the reca
of the Expeditions.--I New York Tribune.