The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-11-27
LADY FRANKLIN.
A LETTER ON THE DISCOVERY OF THE
NORTHWEST PASSAGE. w n

SIR: Now that the grave has clos
ed over the remains Of the great Arc
tic navigator, Sir Robert Mcclure, 1t
is time 10 dissipate the confusion
which seems to exist III sone quar-
tiers al TO his claim to be considsred
the discovercr Of the N rthwcSt pas
sage, ret forth specially in your naval
intelligence columns of October %
and "a | beg of you, Therefore, the IA
vor TO psrmit me, on behalf of the
expedition under command of my
husband, to state again the proven
facts Of its incontroyertibly prior
claim to that distictiOn.
No ope can dispute the great quail
tiles # Sir Robert Mcclure as nav
igAEor Of the highest skill and daring.
The perllous voyage OF the lnvesti-
gator which closed at the BAyssof
Mercy, midway between the PAci nc
and Atlantic, has won for hiea -
world wide reputation. But unfor-
tunSteIy it was prematurely assumed
Oh Ills return to England in 1854.
after his rescue by the ResoIute, that
to him belonged all the honor of be-
Ing ne first to solve the problem OF
the Northwest passage; and, as we
all remember, rewards were shower
cd upon him in due and fitting &C
khow Judgement.
Bur ii was felt and urged by many,
Including nay friend, Sir Roderick
Murchison, that future search for
Franklin might reveal priority OF
claim which could not be disregard
ed Accordingly, ON the return of
Sir Leopold Nc 'lintock in the Fox
(osptsmber 1882 wo learned by
means of official record which he re-
covered, that in following the course
laid down IN HE instructions, FRANK
Inns vessel, after sfftcting extensive
explorations wilhia the Arctic circle
actually found the wafer way be-
tween the two great oceans precisely
where If had been anticipated, and
that this dlaeovery was made at least
two years and half earlier than that
Of SIR Robert Mcclure, ia anotherI
quarter. The expedition had per-
Ifhed, indeed. for lack Of means If
rescue but t was zone the less an
act OF justice to these mait,r RS TO du-
ty tha' theii names should staad for
ever IN the history of their country
linked with the proud distinction OF
beirg disceverers of the Northwest
passage.
Accordingly their claim was prom
inentiy acknowledged and set forth
b the Geographical Society and the
leading Artcic authorities, who indi.
virtually felt as am aware, that Jus
ii q TO the dead was all / more due
to Ihtir memories on account of the
premature decisionssi7 favor of an
Other.
Our deep Obligations to Sir Leo
p" d McClirtock ard his officers are
thus due. NOT only for having ascer-
tanned he tate Of my husband and
hi party, on; foI having also secured
to hem the distinction they died in
winning.
have in my posoession from the
81 oHe high authorities Including
Eiurclison, B"atort, Richardson, the
laDe venerable President Of tht Geo
slaphical Society Of Paris, all now
drcrased) numerous letteIs and docu-
mems, wh CD have not yet pe-n m de
'ubhc testitying TO this result with
lie absolute precision. Not the
leasf valuable one Is letter from
Sir j ames Ross, who had been prom
inent in hono' ing Sir Robey: Nc
Ciur6 achievement, but who after
the re- arm OF the Fox, spontaneously
communicated to me, with noble AVID
touching candor and in the most un-
equlvocal terms, That the record
b,ought by the Fox proved that the
honor Of the great discovery belong
ed 10 my noble husbands expedition,
AID t. il aions.
l he printed and published testimony
i already ample, aud abounds es DEC
iaIly in The Presidential addresses OF
Sir Roderlck Mmchison to the Roy
al Genccla nhinnl .Snn;nt.. I'D or.n