The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-12-08
Sir John Franklin's Fate.

Sir John Franklin, brought by the sailor
Barrett to New York, will revive the in
terest in that wonderful story which
for many years attracted the attention
of the two continents, and in which the
adventures of the lost navigator and the
uncertainty of his fate are not more
notable than the heroic devotion of his
wife in seeking to solve the mystery so
long concealed.
Sir John Franklin, after making a
number of Arctic voyages, having been
Governor of Tasmania, where his men,
DRY is still endeared by his virtues, and
having shown himself not only an ar
dent student, but also amunificent patron
of science, was appointed, in 1915, to
the command of British expedition to
discover the Northwest Passage. 1t con
sisted of the ships Erebus and Terror,
magnificently equipped and manned by
brave, experienced and skillful crews.
In all there were 1873 persons who sailed
from Sheerness on the 10Th of May,
1915, their commander being then fifty
nine years of age. Their orders Were
to be absent two years. The vessels
were last seen by whaler in Baifin's
Bay, July &c, 1915.
In 1917 the anxiety of the public be-
gan to be excited concerning the nor
return of the expedition. The unknown
vouchsafed no tidings as to their fate
In 1913 three different expeditions fdr
succor were fitted out by the British Gov
ernment-under the leadership respect
lively of Commander Thomas Moore
Capt. Kellett and Sir James Ross. In
1850 there were eight expeditions hav-
ing the same object in view, all more
or less stimulated by the reward, offered
by the British Government, of E2Q,000
to anyone who should render efficient
aid to the missing explorers. Among
those identified with these efforts were
DR.. Rae, Capt. Collinson, Commander
Mcclure, Capt. Austin, Capt. Osborn,
Sir John Ross, Capt. Ommaney, Capt
Penny, of the Lady Franklin expedition;
Commander Forsyth and Lieut., DELAY
en-, of the first Grinnell expedition.
Capt Ommaney came upon the first
traces of the lost mariners at Cape
Riley Capt. Osborn, at Beechey Isl
and, found their first encampment, but
no documents of any kind were brought
to light.
From time to time other vessels were
dispatched, until the Arctic Sea, with
its inlets, its sounds and its icebergs
became one vast field of search. The
contributions made to science were of
the most valuable character The Unit
ed States We'd with England in the phil
anthropic pursuit; and through all Of
the enterprises and dangers ran, like a
golden thread, the unfaltering fidelity
of the woman who has forever linked
her name with the cause of science, and
made it the synonym of Il deathless love.
Her devotion ceased but with her life
ceased not then, our faith teaches us to
believe.
In the long chapter of Arctic advent
ure, Kane and Hayes and Morton have
made enduring records and written for
themselves imperishable fame. 1t was
reserved, however, for the McClintock
expedition, fitted out by Lady Frank
lin, to reveal, in 1859, the fate of Sir
John and his companions. McClintock
learned from party of EsquimauX that
one of the ships had been crushed in
the ice and sunk off the northwest shore
of King Williams Land, and that her
people went away to great river, where
they died of starvation. The second
vessel drifted ashore at King William S
Land, and was there found with the
skeleton of one man on board. Contin-
uing his explorations, McClintock found
near Cape Herschel bleached skeleton,
with fragments of European clothing
and a pocket-book and several letters
lying near. A days march northeast
of Cape Crozier and other skeletons
were found, with various relies, includ-
ing Sir John Franklin's silver plate.
Meanwhile q party under Lieut.. Hob
son had made still more important dis
coveries. Separating from McClintock,
Hobson found near Cape Felix, the
northermost point of King William 5
Land, ruined cairn, three tents and
other traces of Franklin's party, and,
on May 6, 1859, at Point Victory, he
found a tin case inclosing record which
stated that Sir John Franklin died on
the 18th of June, 1913.
And now comes the narrative OF
Thomas Barrett to revive the interest OF
the Franklin expedition, large portion
of whose experience is still wrapped
in mystery. He gives considerable in
addition to what is already known, il
his informants are to be trusted. The
most important matter communicated
is that q crew of whites, evidently be-
longing to one of the Franklin ships,
left a number of written books, which
were buried at Cape Eaglefeld. This
spot has notyet been visited by explorers:
but contemporaneously with the revela-
ton of the fact comes the announce
ment that it is proposed to fit out an ex-
petition from New York, in the spring,
to search for the records. May it be
crowned with success, and the secrets
for which so many earnest men have
sought be brought to light.-RocheSter
Democrat