The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-10-28
IRumored Discovery of Sir John Franklin.

Franklin, and his crew, and their ships, had
been discovered. We Immediately dispatch
ed special messenger to the Hadson Bay
Companys house, at Lachine, and the kind
ness of the Governor, Sir George Simpson,
enabled us to lay before our readers the fol-
lowing outlines of dispatch received by
him yesterday, from DR.. Rae, who has been
absent on the coast since lst of the month
of June, 1858, and returned to York factory
on the 2Sth of August last, from whence he
forwarded letters, by express, to Sir George
Simpson, via the Red river settlement
After briefly noticing the result of his own
expedition, and the difficulties with which
they had to contend, he proceeds to state,
! that from the Esquimaux he had obtained
certain information of the fate of Sir John
franklin, who had been starved TO death af-
ter the loss of their ships, which were crush
led in the ice, and while making their way
south to the great fish river of Buck, near
the outlet of which party of whites died,
leaving accounts of their sufferingS in the
mutilated corpses of some who had, evident
| ly furnished food to their unfortunate COM
panions. This information, although not
derived from the Esquimaux who had COM
municated with the whites, and who had
found their remains, but from another band,
who had obtained the details from them
! No doubt is felt of the truth Of the report,
as the natives had in their possession, vari-
Gus articles Of European manufacture, which
had been in possession of the whltes.-
Among these are silver spoons, forks &c,
on one of which is engraved, Sir John Frank
lin, X. G. B., while others have crests on
them, which identify the owners,aS having
belonged to the i'll fated expeditian.
Drawings of some of them have been sent
down. This fearful tragedy must have
occurred as long ago as the spring of 1850.
The French vessel, the Vesta, which was
in collision with the Arctic, was running
according to the report of her commander,
lat the rate of eight knots, and the speed of
the Arctic is stated on the same authority
at not less than twelve knots. Immediately
after the collision, Captain Duchesne noticed
that the bulhhead of his vessel was not
started, and he proceeded to tighten his YES
sci by throwing overheard all the cargo and
luggage which was in the fore part of the
vessel. This elevation, with the firmness of
the bulkhead, contributed much to stop the
heavy rush of water. About $50 mattress
ses, palliasses, and other effects of the crew
and passengers, were now placed abaft the
safety partition, over which were thrown
sails, backed by boards and planks. the whole
being secured by cables, well and firmly
wrapped round all.
The foremast, which had received some
damage, was cut away, and contributed
considerably to raise the head still more
This occupied two days. They run under
small steam for the nearest port, (St Johns }
which they entered on the 30th, most provi-
dentially before the rising of a severe gale
which blew on that day. The captain says
he saved no one from the Arctic, but had
one Of his boats run down by her, while she
was making the Circuit round him after the
accident From the circumstance that
Captain Luce steamed round him, to give
assistance, he supposed the Arctic was not
seriously damaged, and when she left him,
his impression was she had made directly
for New York Otherwise the Vesta could
and would have remained by her.
That the Arctic steamed off in the wes-
tern direction, the statements heretofore
published concur, and that the captain of
the Vesta was thus put out of hearing of
the signal guns which she subsequently fred
is not unaccountable.
A return just issued Of the population of
ireland, shows that the number of inhabt-
ants has fallen off tlUo millions in the past s
years In the wear 1905 the pOpul a tiOn was