"The discovery of one of these mementos would, in a { probability, afford a clue that might lead to the rescue of our enterprising countrymen, ere another and sixth winter close in upon them, should they be still in existence; and the time has not yet arrived for abandoning hope.

"In renewing once more the offer of my services, which I do most cheerfully, I see no reason for changing the opinions I entertained last spring; subsequent events have only tended to confirm them. I then believed, and I do so still, after a long and mature consideration of the subject, that Sir John Franklin's ships have been arrested in a high latitude, and beset in the heavy polar ice northward of the Parry Islands, and that their probable course thither has been through the Wellington Channel, or one of the sounds at the northern extremity of Baffin's Bay.

"This appears to me to be the only view of the case that can in any way account for the entire absence of all tidings of them throughout so protracted a period of time (unless all have perished by some sudden and overwhelming catastrophe.)

"Isolated as their position would be under such circumstances, any attempt to reach the continent of America at such a distance would be hopeless in the extreme: and the mere chance of any party from the ships reaching the top of Baffin's Bay at the very moment of a whaler's brief and uncertain visit would be attended with by far too great a risk to justify the attempt, for failure would insure inevitable destruction to the whole party; therefore their only alternative would be to keep together in their ships, should no disaster have happened to them, and by husbanding their remaining resources, eke them out with whatever wild animals may come within their reach.

"Had Sir John Franklin been able to shape a southwesterly course from Cape Walker, as directed by his instructions, the probability is, some intelligence of him would have reached this country ere this, (nearly five years having already elapsed since his departure

from it.) Parties would have been sent out from his ships, either in the direction of the coast of America or Barrow's Strait, whichever happened to be the most accessible. Esquimaux would have been fallen in with, and tidings of the long-absent expedition have been obtained.

Failing in penetrating beyond Cape Walker, Sir John Franklin would have left some notice of his future intentions on that spot, or the nearest accessible one to it; and should he then retrace his course for the Wellington Channel, the most probable conjecture, he would not pass up that inlet without depositing a further account of his proceedings, either on the western or eastern point of the entrance to it.

"Therefore, should my proposal meet with their Lordships' approbation, I would most respectfully submit, that the party I have volunteered to conduct should be landed at the entrance to the Wellington Channel, or the nearest point attainable by any ship that their Lordships may deem fit to employ in a future search, consistently with any other services that ship may have to perform; and should a landing be effected on the eastern side, I would propose commencing the search from Cape Riley or Beechey Island in a northerly direction, carefully examining every remarkable headland and indentation of the western coast of North Devon for memorials of the missing expedition; I would then cross over the Wellington Channel and continue the search along the northern shore of Cornwallis Island, extending the exploration to the westward as far as the remaining portion of the season would permit, so as to secure the retreat of the party before the winter set in, returning either by the eastern or western side of Cornwallis Island, as circumstances might indicate to be the most desirable at the time, after ascertaining the general extent and trending of the shores of that island.

"As, however, it would be highly desirable that Jones' Sound should not be omitted in the search. more especially as a whaler, last season, reached its entrance

and reported it open, I would further propose, that the ship conveying the exploring party out should look into this opening on her way to Lancaster Sound, if circumstances permitted of her doing so early in the season ; and, if found to be free from ice, the attempt might be made by the boat expedition to push through it to the westward in this latitude; and should it prove to be an opening into the Polar Sea, of which I think there can be little doubt, a great saving of time and distance would be accomplished. Failing in this, the ship should be secured in some central position in the vicinity of the Wellington Channel, as a point d'appui to fall back upon in the search from that quarter.

(Signed,)

R. M'CORMICK, R. N. "Twickenham, 1st of January, 1850.”

Outline of a Plan of an Overland Journey to the Polar Sea, by the Way of the Coppermine River, in Search of Sir John Franklin's Expedition, suggested in 1847.

"If Sir John Franklin, guided by his instructions, has passed through Barrow's Strait, and shaped a southwesterly course, from the meridian of Cape Walker, with the intention of gaining the northern coast of the continent of America, and so passing through the Dolphin and Union Strait, along the shore of that continent, to Behring's Strait;

"His greatest risk of detention by the ice throughout this course would be found between the parallels of 74° and 69° north latitude, and the meridians of 100° and 110° west longitude, or, in other words, that portion of the northwest passage which yet remains unexplored, occupying the space between the western coast of Boothia on the one side, and the island or islands forming Banks' and Victoria Lands on the other.

"Should the Erebus and Terror have been beset in the heavy drift-ice, or wrecked among it and the broken land, which in all probability exists there while contending with the prevalent westerly winds in this quarter;

"The Coppermine River would decidedly offer the most direct route and nearest approach to that portion of the Polar Sea, and, after crossing Coronation Gulf, the average breadth of the Strait between the Conti nent and Victoria Land is only about twenty-two miles.

"From this point a careful search should be commenced in the direction of Banks' Land; the intervening space between it and Victoria Land, occupying about five degrees, or little more than 300 miles, could, I think, be accomplished in one season, and a retreat to winter quarters effected before the winter set in. As the ice in the Coppermine River breaks up in June, the searching party ought to reach the sea by the beginning of August, which would leave two of the best months of the year for exploring the Polar Sea, viz: August and September.

"As it would be highly desirable that every available day, to the latest period of the season, should be devoted to the search, I should propose wintering on the coast in the vicinity of the mouth of the Coppermine River, which would also afford a favorable position from which to recommence the search in the following spring, should the first season prove unsuccessful.

"Of course the object of such an expedition as I have proposed is not with the view of taking supplies to such a numerous party as Sir John Franklin has under his command; but to find out his position, and acquaint him where a depot of provisions would be stored up for himself and crews at my proposed winter quarters, where a party should be left to build a house, establish a fishery, and hunt for game, during the absence of the searching party.

"To carry out this plan efficiently, the Hudson's Bay Company should be requested to lend their powerful cooperation in furnishing guides, supplies of pemmican, &c., for the party on their route and at winter quarters. Without entering into, details here, I may observe, that I should consider one boat, combining the necessary requisites in her construction to fit her for either the river navigation, or that of the shores of the Polar Sea,

would be quite sufficient, with a crew one half sailors, and the other half Canadian boatmen ; the latter to be engaged at Montreal, for which place I would propose leaving England in the month of February.

"Should such an expedition even fail in its main object the discovery of the position of the missing ships. and their crews, the long-sought-for polar passage may be accomplished. R. M'CORMICK, R. N.

(Signed,)

"Woolwich, 1847."

Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant Sherard Osborn to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

"Ealing, Middlesex, 4th January, 1850.

"MY LORDS,- A second attempt to reach Sir John Franklin's expedition being about to be tried during the present year, I take the liberty of calling your attention to the inclosed proposition for an overland party to be dispatched to the shores of the Polar Sea, with a view to their traversing the short distance between Cape Bathurst and Banks' Land. My reasons for thus trêspassing on your attention are as follows;

"1st. General opinion places the lost expedition to the west of Cape Walker, and south of the latitude of Melville Island.

"The distance from Cape Bathurst to Banks' Land is only 301 miles, and on reference to a chart it will be seen that nowhere else does the American continent approach so near to the supposed position of Franklin's expedition.

"2d. As a starting point, Cape Bathurst offers great advantages; the, arrival of a party sent there from England may be calculated upon to a day; whereas the arrival of Captain Collinson in the longitude of Cape Barrow, or that of an eastern expedition in Lancaster Sound, will depend upon many uncontrollable contingencies. The distance to be performed is comparatively little, and the certainty of being able to fall back upon supplies offers great advantages. Captain