Book Description

Excerpt from Year-Book of Facts in Science and Art Sir John Franklin, - whose protracted absence from our shores continues to be a subject of painful sympathy, - was born in 1788, at Spilsby, in Lincolnshire. He entered the Navy, Oct. 1, 1800, as a Boy, on board the Polyphemus, 64, Capt. John Lawford, under whom he served as Midshipman, in the action off Copenhagen, April 2, 1801. He then, in the Investigator sloop, sailed with Capt. Flinders, on a voyage of discovery to New Holland; where, on joining the Porpoise, armed store-ship, he was wrecked on a coral rock, near Cato Bank, Aug. 17, 1803. While on his passage home, in the Camden, East Indiaman, Mr. Franklin had charge of the signals; and he distinguished himself at the celebrated repulse of a powerful French Squadron, under Admiral Lenois, Feb. 15, 1804. On his arrival in England, he joined the Bellerophon; and, subsequently, under Capt. Cooke, took part in the battle of Trafalgar. On being transferred to the Bedford, 74, Mr. Franklin was confirmed a Lieutenant of that ship, Feb. 11, 1808; and escorted the Royal Family of Portugal from Lisbon to South America. During the alter-part of the war, he was chiefly employed at the blockade of Flushing: he then, towards the close of 1814, joined in the Expedition to New Orleans; and for bis brave conduct, on Jan. 8, 1815, he was officially and very warmly recommended for promotion. On Jan, 14, 1818, Franklin assumed command of the hired brig, Trent, in which he accompanied Capt. D. Buchanan, of the Dorothea, on a perilous voyage of discovery to the neighbourhood of Spitzbergen. In April, next year, Franklin was invested with the command of an Expedition to proceed overland from Hudson's Bay to ascertain the actual position of the Coppermine River, and the exact trending of the shores of the Polar Seas to the eastward of that river. This fearful undertaking endured until the summer of 1822, through a journey of 5,550 miles: its perils and adventures, Capt. Franklin, (whose Commander's and Post Commissions bear date respectively 1821 and 22, ) has ably described in his "Narrative" of the journey. In 1825, he left England to co-operate with Captains Beechey and Barry, in ascertaining, from opposite quarters, the existence of a North-west Passage. The results of this mission, which terminated in lat. 70 24', N., long. 149 39' W., will also be found in Capt. Franklin's Narrative, 1825-27. On his return to England, in Sept. 1827, he was presented by the Geographical Society at Paris, with a Gold Medal, valued at 1200 francs, for having made the most important acquisition to geographical knowledge during the preceding year. In 1829, at home, he received the honour of Knighthood; besides the Oxford degree of a D.C.L. Sir John Franklin married, first, in 1823, the youngest daughter of William Porden, Esq., architect; and 2ndly, in 1828, the second daughter of John Griffin, Esq., of Bedford Place. From 1830 until 1834, he commanded the Rainbow, 28, on the Mediterranean station; and for his exertions in connexion with the troubles in Greece, he was presented with the order of the Redeemer of Greece. In 1836, Sir John Franklin was created a K.C.H; and was afterwards, for some time, Lieut.-Governor of Van Dieman's Land. In 1845, Sir John Franklin was appointed to the command of another Expedition to the North - the Erebus (Captain Franklin), and the Terror (Capt. Crozier) - on a fresh attempt to explore a North-west passage through Lancaster Sound and Behring's Strait. The ships left Greenhithe, May 19, 1845. Little intelligence has been received of this Expedition since the day of its sailing. At the close of 1847, Government resolved to send out three Expeditions in search of Franklin and his party, numbering 140 souls. The first of these Expeditions, H.M.S. Plover, sailed in January, 1848; the second Expedition, the Enterprise and Investigator, was placed under the command of"