The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1873-11-27
Lady Franklin.


:
the editor Of the London Timesi
SIs: Now that the grave has closed
over the remains Of the grea. arctic naviga-
tor, Sir Robert McClu,, it i. time to dis
sipate the Confusion which seems esili to
exist IN some quarters rs to his claim 20
be considered the jiseoverer Of the North
west assase, set forth specially in your
naval intelligence columns Of Oct. % and
"a. beg OF von, therefore, the favor 10
permit me, on behalf Of the expedition un-
der command Of my husband, to state again
the proven facts Of its incontroyertibly
prior claim to that distinction.
No one can dispute the great qualities
OF Sir Robert McCI.e as navig .,or Of the
highest skIIl sni daring The perilous
voyage Of the Investigator, which closed
at the Bay of Mercy, midway bttween the
Pacific and Atlantic, has w.n for him a
World wide reputation. Bat, unfortunate
~, it was prema.urely assumed on hi. re-
turn to Eag'anJ, IN lSJ /, after his rescus
by the R.-Oiute, that to hun belonged also
tie honor II being the fret TO solve the
problem Of the Northwest passage; aud,
ss we all remember, rewards were shower
ed upon him in iue and fi IN. acknowledg-
ment.
Bot it .as felt and urged By many, in
cludir e my friend, Sir RoIerick Murchison
that future search for Franklin might re
veal priority Of claim which could not be
li-re.Arled. Accordingly. on the return
Of Sir Leopold McCIintock in the Fox
(September, 1882, We learned, by means
Of the official record which he recovered.
that in following the course laid down In
his instructions FrGnklin's vessels, after
efectIng extensive explorations within the
Arctic circle, had actually found the water
way between the two great oceans lrecise
" whore it had been anticipated, and that
this discovery was nude At least two wears
and half earlier than that Of Sir Robert
McClue in another quarter. The exped'-
ton had pershel, indeed, for lack of the
means Of rescue, bat it was meme the les.
an act of justice to these mtrtyrs to duty
that their names shoull stanl forever in
the history Of their county linked with
the proud distinction Of being discoveries
Of the Northwest passage.
Accordingly, their claim was prominent
" arknow ledged and set forth by the Geo
.raphica! Society and by the leading arctic
authorities, who individually felt, as am
aware, that justice to the dea was all the
more due to their memories on account Of
The premature decision in favor OF an
other.
Our deep obligations to Sir Leopole Nc
Clintcck and his officers are thu, due, not
only for having asccrtanei the fate Of
my husband and his party, but for having
also secured TO them the distinction which
they died in winning.
| have IN my possession from the above
high authorities ('ncluiing Marchison. Bea-
fort, Richardson, the late venerable Presi
dent of the Geographical Society of Paris,
all row deceased) numerous letters and
documents, wnich have not yet been made
public, testifyiag 20 this result with the
most absolute precision. Not the LEAST
valuable one is letter fr m Sir james
Ross, who had been prominent in honoring
Sir Robert McClure's achievements, but
who, after the return of the Fox, spontane
ousiy communicated to me with noble and
touching candor, and in the most unedui-
vocal terms, that the record brought BY the
Fox proved that the honor of the great
discovery belonged to my husbands expedi-
ton, and to it alone
The printt and published testimony is
already ample, and abound especially in
the Presidential addresses Of Sir Roderick
Murchison to the Royal Geographical sec
ton Of the British Association
Far be 1t from me- by any thing am now
saying lie d.tra,t from the claims Of SIR
Rober, McClue, or his widow, upon the
gratitude of his country.
1t would pain me, indeed. if tina. which
| have been compelled to say in fidelity to
the memory Of my husband should seem to
withdraw from the interest excite; for the
procuring an adequate provision for her
comfort. 1t is nv earnest hone that the
Admiralty may find it possible to make
her an exceptional grant of pension, but
if this cannot be, who is there that da-es
no. hope that our benefcent Queen, wtn
has the glory of her country and the vel
fare OF her subjects at her Utmost heart,
may not think fit to place her on the list
of those who are distinguished ~ their
eminence or tn ,ir belongings?
| have trespassed, sir, thus upon your in
dulgerce, because if in the columns of the
Tunes statement goes forth ID the eytre-
mites of the globe it become. matter of
almost unfues,ionable history, and it is
only through the same medium that the
correction, II required, can be equally trans
United. This is why | request the favor
OF your insertion Of this letter, written
under great physical weakness, and only
from the strong pressure Of daty. am,
sir, your obedient servant,
Oct, p. JANE FgAsKIIS.