Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-06-24
A New Arctic Expeditiou.

A New Arctic Expedition.
A Scotch Court Of Sessions has deci-
ded that Sir John Franklin's party is
dead; the British Admiralty have de-
clined to equip another vessel to seek
for his whereabouts or his remains
Twelve years have elapsed since Sir
John weighed anchor for the Arctic
region; twelve expeditions have been
subsequently sent in that direction; still
Lady Franklin struggles against her
fears, and strives to conquer the fa,es
By her courage and untalIering faith.
Tire new expedition which shortly
leaves England is equipped out of the
wreck of her fortune, aided by the good
will, advice and assistance of a few Arc
tic vOyagers and geographers, who be-
lieve that traces of Sir John Franklin
can yet be found. She and they still
cling to the hope that, out Of the hun
>dred and forty stalwart men who COM
posed the original expedition. some one
survives to tell the fate Of his compaa-
IONS.
It is prophesied that this renewed
search will be a failure, and. despite the
petition of some of the leading geogra-
piers and savanS of England to the Ad-
mirality, We believe that in reference to
its great object it will be q failure. 1t
stands to reason and a common sense
view OF the experiences of life that a
man who. twelve years ago disappeared
amid the dismal solituIes Of Polar ice,
has disappeared forever. We are moi
prepared TO discuss the question in its
details or in its scientific relations; or 10
answer the hopeful Suggestions of Lady
Franklin's fri nds tina. Sir John has not
been searched for where he was inslruc-
ted to go; or that the missing ships will
be found in an UNEMPLOYED area Of two
hundred miles which can be reached by
the propeller of the new expedition
The practical mar will not be misled by
such sanguine theories to place any con
fdence in a scheme which the common
understanding of sensible people pro-
at met to be chimcrical, it not
evidence Of positive monomania. To be
sure, the dead bodies of the great ex-
plorer and his companions have not been
found. but the reports of DR.. Rae and
Mr.. Anderson, render their fate almost
certain; while The imposibility of suryiv-
ing 50 many years without provisions or
fuel is well known to all who are ac-
quainted with the history Of Arctic voy-
ages.
The romance Of Robinson Crusoe in
his tropical island. is much more credi-
bic than the survival of a party OF ex-
plerers for seven years in the cold and
dreary wastes of Arctic desolation.
But no true man will look hsrshly up
on Lady Franklin's new expedition
Her ship will 90 forth freighter with the
good wishes Of the civilized world. II
will be accompanied BY the heartfelt
prayers of many a matron, woo loves
and re~yerences her husband mex TO her
God, and compared with whose pious
devotion, life itself weighs as but
a feather. No one can lock without
emotion upon a woman, laying down all,
hat like the holy ION of Judea, she
may follow him whom she loves. There
il a tender chivalry in the act which
links the name OF Lady FrankliR with
that of Florence Nightingale. In the
white glimmer of the sails of this last
rover in the Arctic Sea. we see a rehec-
ton of that womanly devotion and faith
which is stronger than logic or the solid
columns Of armed men. Nor a We
measure such enterprise by the principles
of utiiitarianism; there is a surplus of
educated energy which can find no bet
Ter vent than such an expedition; and
whether it be fertile or barren Of seien
tTic discovery, it Is dirtat-d by II uobier
ambition than that which fills the Coulls
with diplomatists or s;FeBs the CTimea
with whittned bones. Every such mis-
sion makes the world wiser and better
v. y. Mirror.