The following Letter from the intrepid explorer Captain Penny, although last on the list of Arctic communications in point of date, seems to demand the precedence we give it, not only from its containing the evidence of the person who last spoke, and was on board of, the EREBUS, but also from the cheering assurance it affords us of the providence and foresight evinced by Franklin whilst yet on the very threshold of his enterprise.

If the commander of the expedition anticipated the possibility of his efforts in the Arctic Seas extending to a term of seven years, surely it is premature, while a portion of that interval remains, to despair of his safety.

CAPTAIN PENNY TO THE EDITOR OF THE "TIMES”.

Aberdeen, Dec. 20, 1851.

“Sir,—I have lately been at Peterhead (my native place), and have learnt a very important fact from my old acquaintance Capt. Martin, who, when commanding the whaler ENTERPRISE in 1845, was the last person to communicate with Sir John Franklin.

"The ENTERPRISE was alongside the EREBUS in Melville Bay, and Sir John invited Capt. Martin to dine with him, which the latter declined doing, as the wind was fair to go south. Sir John, while conversing with Capt. Martin, told him that he had five years provisions, which he could make last seven; and his people were busily engaged in salting down birds, of which they had several casks full already, and twelve men were out shooting

more.

"To see such determination and foresight at that early period is really wonderful, and must give us the greatest hopes.

66

"I asked Capt. Martin why he had not mentioned this before? He said that he did not at first think it of any importance, and that when Lady Franklin was at Peterhead about two years ago he did not like to intrude upon her ladyship (not having the honour of knowing her) during her short stay. He is a man of the strictest integrity, whose word I can depend upon. He has an independent fortune, which he got by fishing.

"Your most obedient Servant,

66 William Penny."

saw plenty of deer, musk oxen (four killed), and hares. Captain Penny's parties explored a large channel north of Cornwallis and Bathurst lands (which are united), saw land to the northward with three or four large openings, and was afloat in a boat from 17th June till late in July. A piece of elm picked up by him. Particulars of this exploration not made known at this date.

D

ships this season or not! We read in the daily prints, under the head 'Naval', that, in accordance with an Admiralty summons, Captain Sir Edward Parry, Captain Beechey, and Captain Sir James Clark Ross, atThunadow (19th September) in order to meet the

and other rich edibles, their appetites navig gitary ava

the Orkneys for Woolwich. The Danish interpreter has returned with them, and appears to be a very decent and passably intelligent person, and expresses his belief that the discovery ships, EREBUS and TERROR, are still safe.'”

EXTRACT

From the United Service Gazette, September 13, 1851.

"WE insert without any comment the very interesting despatches brought home by Captain Penny, and we only hope that the information which this gallant man has been able to impart to the Admiralty, will induce their Lordships to listen to the suggestions which he has been enabled to make to them, and which, from his experience as an Arctic voyager, must deserve some credit at their hands.

"He was busily engaged at the Admiralty yesterday, and it is believed he will be despatched again this year to prosecute his search of the Wellington Channel. Captain Austin's Expedition may be daily expected."

SUMMARY.

SIR JOHN ROSS'S EXPEDITION.

"The following notices of Sir John Ross's proceedings have reached us:"The FELIX, with Sir John Ross and Commander C. G. Phillips, with her decked boat in tow, left Ayr 23rd May, 1850.

August 27th, arrived at Beechey Island with Captain Penny, and the American Expedition, and discovered that Franklin had passed the winter of 1845 and 1846 there.

"28th August, RESOLUTE and PIONEER joined company; detained here till September 5, when all the vessels proceeded, but the FELIX did not get across the Wellington Channel till the 9th September. Stayed a few hours at Barlow Inlet, and 11th September was finally stopped by fixed ice between Griffith and Cornwallis Islands. Penny's Expedition joined company, and 12th September the three vessels got into a bay thirteen miles west of Cape Hotham, where they passed the winter.

"About the middle of April, 1851, travelling parties set out, details of which will be found elsewhere. Captain Ommanney visited Cape Walker, and searched land as far as latitude 72° 44′ N., longitude 102° 20′ W. Lieutenant Osborn extended this line to latitude 72° 40', longitude 105° to 6. Lieutenant Aldrich along the south shore of Bathurst Land up to latitude 76° 11', longitude 106° 30'. Dr. Bradford, east coast Melville Island, to latitude 76° 15'. Lieutenant McClintock visited Winter Harbour in Melville Island, rounded Cape Dundas into Siddon Gulf as far as Bushnan Cove, returning across the land to Winter Harbour, and thence to his ship: he was absent eighty days, saw plenty of deer, musk oxen (four killed), and hares. Captain Penny's parties explored a large channel north of Cornwallis and Bathurst lands (which are united), saw land to the northward with three or four large openings, and was afloat in a boat from 17th June till late in July. A piece of elm picked up by him. Particulars of this exploration not made known at this date.

D

"Commander Phillips attempted to cross Cornwallis Land: absent thirtyone days, but had to return, having, as he supposes, got three-quarters across. No other traces of Franklin discovered. The American Expedition last seen 13th September 1850, homeward bound."

CAPTAIN PENNY'S DESPATCHES.

"Her Majesty's ship LADY FRANKLIN, Assistance Harbour,

Cornwallis Island, April 12, 1851.

"Sir, I have the honour to inform you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that after parting company with Her Majesty's ship NORTH STAR, on the 1st of August, I reached along the north shore of Barrow's Strait until Sunday, the 24th, keeping a strict look-out. Being then off Beechey Island, I spoke the American schooner RESCUE, and learned that Her Majesty's ship ASSISTANCE had found traces of the Franklin expedition in Cape Riley. The ASSISTANCE was then running to the westward, and, anxious to be possessed of every particular, followed her with the intention of going on board; but I had not that opportunity until two p.m., when both vessels were made fast to the land ice, two-thirds of the distance across Wellington Channel, the ASSISTANCE being about one-and-ahalf miles to the westward of us. Finding that the traces were apparently those of a retreating party, I thought it my proper course to return to the east side of Wellington Channel, which I accordingly did. The succeeding morning I landed with a party, and examined the coast from ten miles to the northward of Cape Spencer to that promontory, and an encampment was found near the latter place, seemingly that of a hunting party about three years previous. Joining company with the ADVANCE, the RESCUE, and the FELIX Schooners the following morning, we made fast in a bight under the north-west side of Beechey Island, and, having consulted with Captain De Haven and Sir J. Ross, it was agreed that the former should dispatch a party to continue the search northward, along the east coast of Wellington Channel, while I explored the coast to the eastward. Meantime, a party of all my officers, which had been dispatched in the direction of Caswall's Tower, discovered the quarter which had been occupied by the vessels of Sir John Franklin's expedition in the winter of 1845-6. Three graves were also found, the head-boards showing them to be those of three seamen who had died early in the spring of 1846; but notwithstanding a most careful search in every direction, no document could be found. The same evening, a boat-party was dispatched, under Captain Stewart, to explore Radstock Bay and its vicinity, but no further traces were found in that direction.

"The RESOLUTE and PIONEER came up and made fast on Wednesday morning, and an unfavourable condition of the ice detained us all till evening, when water being opened to the eastward, I stood a certain distance across Wellington Channel in the morning, and sent away a party under Mr. J. Stuart, to communicate with the ASSISTANCE. The same evening we were again in Beechey Bay, and the party returned the following forenoon, having accomplished upwards of forty miles.

"By them we were acquainted that the ASSISTANCE had found no traces in about thirty miles of coast examined by her to the north and south of Barlow Inlet.

"The state of the ice prevented the least motion being made with the ships until Thursday, the 5th of September, when we left Beechey Bay; but so little was the ice slackened off, that we were unable to reach the west side of the Channel before Sunday, the 8th.

"While lying under Beechey Island, arrangements were made with Sir