The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-22
Dissolve ~ or the Rsmains Of sir John
Franklin.

re ascertained the fate of the noblest Of the gal
ant band of Arc ic naviga ors. Long since, but
little room was left for ccnjectures on the pointi
except with those among HI; Intimate friends
whom affection and hope had rendered unrea-
sonably sapguine, all expectation OF rescaing
Sir John Franklin was abandoned some years
back. 1t was perhaps natural that those who
knew him best should persevere in disbeaieving
the cruel inference which the world drew from
his prolonged sbsence. He was such . gallant
spirit-had overcome SO many perils-had per-
formed successfully journeys which no other
traveller could have accomplished proved
himself capsule of sustaining such cruel priva-
altogether had such q genius tor
succeeding in whatever We attemFted--.hat the
long cherished hope Of his noble wife and few
equally noble trother sailors can we'll be &C.
counted for. If skin, experisEce, energy, i'm.
menee powers of endurance, and long practice
in the tolls of Arctic navigation; if finally, the
zeal of an excellent crew and the Intelligence
C a chosen band of officers could have saved
Sir John FRANKLIN, he woull have been withus
to this day. We are forced to believe that
even these great elements OF success we're
powerless against the Obstacles with which he
had to contend. As was supposed by those best
informed on the subject, he succumbed to cold
and hunger in the spring of 1850, moro than
four years ago. Heiad set sail with the Ere
bus and Terror, 'art, 1873 men, on 18th Of May,
1916, and was lest seen by whaler on the 26th
July of the same year. Three years elapsed
without tidingc, and his friends, becoming anx-
ious, prevailed upon the British government to
send out three separate expeditions in search
Of him. All three returned home without &C.
complshing nything, before Sir John died.
Other expeditions were fitted out, and sailed
with the best hopes of the civilized world. One
OF them, consisting Of two vessels admirably
suited for the enterprise, was originated, and
the ships supplied by Henry Grinrell of this
city. But still no tidings came, and one by one
the expeditions returned, with thinned crews
and heavy hearts. In the search, Captain Nc.
Clure stumbled upon the northwest passage,
and DR.. Kane and others made valuable addi-
tons to our stock of science: but these gains
were purchased at such a cost, and the chances
of attaining the main object Of the expeditions
soon became SO distant, that the British Admi-
rally resolved to discontinue the search, aud re-
call its ships Steamers were subsequently
despatched with provisions for the absent expe-
ditions: but for some time, no fresh vessels have
been sent out to look for Sir John Franklin.
Three OF those which had sailed previously
the Investigator, Resolute, and Assistance
have, it is believed, been lost: their captains
returned to England in the Phenix. The YES
sells still absent on the search-the Advance,
Captain Kane, and the Enterprise, Captain Col
linson-will, it is to be hoped, meet q happier
fate.
There were many people, even in 1850. who
regarded the search as fruitless; yet see how
narrowly Mcclure missed Sir John. In
July, 1850, he parted from the Herald off
Cape Lilburne, stood towards the NN.W aud
spent the whole month of July in coasting to
the eastward. Probably at the very same time
Sir John Franklin and his companions were
dying at the mouth of Fox river.
This is, we trust, the last Of the Arctic expe-
ditions. For such men as Mcclure Kane, and
Beecher, it is impossible not to feel high ad-
miration: their purpose is noble, their manner
Of carrying it out pregnant with selfdevotion
and heroism. But at the same time, the prac.
teal benefits which can flow from such an appli-
cation Of these high qualities can in no wise
balance the risk at which they are gained. For
the very reason that Kane and Mcclure are
gallant spirits, we desire to see them placed in
apostion where their rare eadowments may
be of signal service to the world, and regret
that so many precious years of their lives should
be spent in desolate ice bound prison. A few
sparse scientific discoveries could not compen.
safe us for the loss of either of them: and it must
now be obvious to the most obstinate, that for all
purposes of commerce, the Arctic regions might
as well have remained what nature seems to have
intended they should be-a sealed book. Noun
tains of the precious metals would be safe from
the hand Of man if they lay within 'the pack"
That DR.. Kane will bring home many valuable
additions to our scientific repository there is
no room for doubting and with the knowledge
he has of the region lie has undertaken to ex.
plore, no serious apprehensions regarding his
safety need be entertained. But when he re-
turns, our voice shall be raised against any fu-
ture expeditions of the like nature.
1uosC poItc va tuc WOIlu WulCu were luGcuu-
ed for man aud not for walruses contain many
nook and Granny that has never been properly
explored. There are many savage tribes in
the islands of the coast of Asia for instance,
which would be infinitely benefited by a visit
from Dr.. Kane, with proposals for the introduce
ton Of free trade and humanity among them.
Every fresh volume Of travels brings to light
some new region with which we might advan-
tageously open commercial relations, and thus
extend the spread of civilization and Christi
anity throughout the world. 1t is on enter
prises of this nature that men Of the rare stamp
Of our Arctic navigators should be employed
Their risk would be less; the gain greater. It
will be time enough to bury our gallant spirits
in the Polar ice when every schoolboy is IA
miliar with the temperate zone, and when there