The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-11-03
The Life of Sir John Franklin.

The following particulars of the biography OF
the disn guished navigator, the discovery OF whose
unhappy fate hasengaged the attention so much
Of late, we find IN the New York Post:
Sir John Franklin, who at very early age
manifested the adventurous spirit that character
ICED his later career was born at Spllsby, IN Ln-
colnshire, Misc. The evident bent Of the boys
mind for a sailors life not meeting with the faith
er's views, he sent on voyage to Lisbon IN
merchant vessel, in hopes the reality would oPe
rate as cure The attempt failed, and at the age
of fourteen he entered the British navy as mid
shipman, on board the Polyphemus, in which ca
pacity he served at the battle Of Copenhagen In
500 he accompanied his relative, Capt Flinders,
on a voyage OF discovery to the South seas, and
was shipwrccked on the coast of New Holland.
He was aiterward signal officer on the BelIeroPhon,
(lhe ship on board which Napoleon took refuge in
i8I5) at the battle Of Trafalgar, and in 1914
served as lieutenant upon the Bedford, which car.
ried the allied sovereign TO Engand In 1918 he
was at the attack upon New Orleans, which ended
SO disastrous for the British, and won considerable
reputation by the capture Of an American gun
boat. In 1918 he was appointed to the command
of the brig Trent, which formed part Of the Polar
Expedition under Capt Buchan. He afterwards
held command in the expedition under Ross and
Parry, al which time he examined The coast as far
north Cape Turnagin, SO degrees 80 minutes
north latitude, and returned to England in 1922,
after having suffered great hardships and privd-
tons, and was onIy saved from death by the kind
ness of the E>qumaux.
Promoted to The rank Of post. captain in 1925,
in company with the same parties he undertook n
second voyage 10 tho Polar seas, aud examined
the coast between the Mackenzie and Coppermine
rivers. He returned in 1927, having reached 10
deg. 30 min. north latitude and 80 deg west lon
gitude and kn9hted by George ~, IN ac-
knowledgemcnt Of his services. In $50 he was
IN ( IL ci,;, ,c ,Lr A. Midi
ranean, and was afterwards sent as Governor to
Van Dieman's Land, from which post he was
called in lS43 Early in 1S45 he returned 10
England, and was at once appointed TO the COM
mand of the expedition 10 the Polar seas, from
which he never returned, and which expected
to add largely TO the stock of geographical knowl-
edge and that OF the laws which govern the mag
net. The Ercbus and Terror the two ships with
which the younger Ross, in 1899, Ind made his
celebrated voyage to the South Polar seas, were
rapidly fitted up with everything necessary for tho
service, and with the distinguished officers, Cap
tains Crozer and Fitziames. who were selected
by Sir John himself the expedition left England
on the 9th of May Of that year. 1t was spoken
by several whale ships on the 4th Of Jolly, and on
the goth of the same month was seen for the last
time in Melviles Bay, lat. II north, longitude SO
3 west from Greenwich
Fears respecting the missing navi gators became
general in England in 1e4S, and since that period
several expeditions have been fitted out there, as
well one from this country, for the purpose of
either rcscung ascertalning the fate OF Sir John
and his companions. They have oil returned
without success. The only traces hitherto discov-
cred have been the graves of three of The party,
and some empty cans used tor containing preserved
meats, such as were furnished the expednion.-
The searches instituted at the request Of the Eng
lish by the Russian government among its possess
sions on the Arctic Sea has met with no result
D., ~ L. - =
the report Of Dr. Rca, which has reached US from
Canada, prove correct, we shall soon probably
know all that ever be known Of Sir John
Franklin and those under his command.