THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. (Hansard, 19 June 1855)

§ MR. MACKINNON
Sir, I feel that I ought to explain to the House the reasons that induce me to move for a Select Committee on the present occasion. On looking over the manner in which the House has dealt with the expedition under Sir John Ross, when Boothia was discovered; it appears that a Committee of this House was appointed in 1834, for the purpose of taking the subject into consideration, and I consider this to form a sort of precedent for me at present. The Committee of '34 awarded, after mature consideration, 5000l. to Sir J. Ross.
Sir, I have no connection whatever with the individual for whom I make this Motion; his name was not known to me until it was mentioned on the Continent, where I was at the time of his return home, and in moving for a Committee to ascertain whether or not Captain M'Clure is entitled to any, and what, reward, I am only actuated by the sentiment which is, I am sure, felt by every Member of this House, that justice should be done to every man in proportion to the services rendered to his country. It may, perhaps, be as well, before I enter into the merits of Captain M'Clure, for me to take a bird's-eye view of the attempts made to explore the north-west passage, and to show the great pains and heavy expenditure incurred by our nation to ascertain whether or not such a passage existed. There seems no necessity to go further back than the 16th century. It appears that, in 1524, an expedition was undertaken by Sebastian Cabot, to explore the Northern regions, where he made various discoveries; in 1527, Master R. Thorne, of Bristol; in 1553, Sir Hugh Willoughby, in the Bona Esperanza, endeavoured to explore the passage; in 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert made an unsuccessful attempt, failed and perished; after, John Davis also attempted to explore the Polar regions. It appears that, in this, the 16th century, no less than twenty-two attempts to discover a north-west passage were made, with various chances, but at a considerable expenditure and great loss of life.
There seems no necessity for me to recapitulate the attempts made in the 2243 17th century for the same purpose, and with a similar result: the number of attempts in this, the 17th century, exceeded twenty.
In the 18th century various endeavours to seek a north-west passage were made by the following commanders—Knight, Vaughan, Scraggs, Middleton, Moor, and Smith: in all about twenty-one attempts, by the English and other nations. Middleton failed, and was accused of treacherous conduct: no very important discovery was made.
Let us now come to the present century. We find the prominent names to be Kotzebue, John Ross, David Buchan, W. E. Perry, John Franklin, and many others. In the year 1818, John Ross and W. E. Perry advanced considerably in the Polar regions; Boothia was discovered, for which Sir J. Ross received a reward of 5,000l., but nothing resulted from the voyage as to a discovery of the north-west passage; every attempt made only increased the apparent impossibility of discovering the sought-for route, and, by many, it was considered to be hopeless.
In exploring the Polar regions, subsequently. Captain Buchan did the same. In 1820, Captain W. E. Perry went in chief command; he made, afterwards, a second and a third voyage, in 1824 and 1825; and again, a Polar expedition in 1827. After this, in 1845, the unfortunate attempt of Sir John Franklin took place, where that distinguished and gallant officer and his brave crew closed their career in the most miserable manner. In 1833, 1834, and 1835, Captain Back, a well-known and distinguished commander, was commissioned for the same purpose. It appears that no less than sixteen expeditions have been fitted out for the purpose of finding out and rescuing Sir J. Franklin and his brave companions.
Now, let us for a moment pause, and endeavour to ascertain the cost and loss of life entailed on the nation by these several and various abortive attempts at discovering a north-west passage. In the 16th century, fourteen voyages; in the 17th century, twenty voyages; in the 18th century, nineteen voyages; in the 19th century, twenty-two voyages—seventy-five voyages.
The loss of life in all these expeditions cannot but be much regretted, and also the privations undergone; the expenditure, too, must be considered: it is impossible to as- 2244 certain what the nation has expended in the three last centuries, when no official documents remain; but it appears from the Navy and Ordnance Estimates that the total expenses attendant on fitting out Sir J. Franklin, and in the expeditions in search of him, amounts to the enormous sum of 837,000l., an expenditure almost incredible; so that, in this century, only one-half of which is passed, more than l,000,000l. has been wasted, including those expeditions undertaken from 1800 to 1845.
Now, let us proceed to the case before us, and see what has been achieved by Captain M'Clure. He and Captain Collinson were selected by the Admiralty, each to command a vessel, and to proceed up the Pacific Ocean, and by entering the Polar regions on the westward side, above California, to ascertain whether any traces could be obtained of the lamented Sir J. Franklin. The two vessels started together, the Enterprise, Captain Collinson, and the Investigator, Commander M'Clure. They were towed through the Straits of Magellan by H.M. S. Gorgon, and it was ascertained that the Investigator was much slower than the Enterprise. Both these vessels, it must be admitted, were fitted out in a most superior manner by the Admiralty, and admirably adapted for the rough and dangerous service they had to perform. They sailed in January, 1850, and from the Investigator not being so good a sailer as the Enterprise, Captain M'Clure was left by his consort, and had to exercise his own judgment how best to fulfil his instructions. Let it be here borne in mind that the Act giving a reward of 20.000l. for the discovery of the northwest passage, which passed in 1745, was repealed in 1828, so that no inducement existed but the love of their country, and desire to fulfil their duty, in braving the dangers of the frozen seas. As already stated, Captain M'Clure arrived in the Polar Seas about August, 1850; in a short time his vessel, the Investigator, was firmly frozen in the ice; Captain M'Clure proceeded on the frozen sea with his brave companions, and, after dangers, privations, and fatigues that can scarcely be enumerated; after passing four years and a half in that miserable climate, where, for six months in the year, the sun was only seen by refraction for two hours in the twenty-four; where, in such a climate, the calls of hunger are more felt and imperative than in our milder climes,—Captain M'Clure 2245 achieved the important discovery so long desired and so anxiously sought for; he went through the north-west passage, and returned to England in the autumn of 1854, having by his courage, his perseverance, and admirable conduct, deserved well of his country.
Now, Sir, let us just recapitulate what this discovery has achieved. It has opened the west coast of America to the fisheries for whales and other monsters of the deep; it has saved the lives of countless thousands, for there is no doubt that continued attempts would he made in future, and others might share the fate of Franklin; it has saved enormous sums of money, that would have been wasted in further search; it has solved a problem in geography of the greatest importance; and, above all, the passage has been discovered by this nation, the first maritime Power in the world, which would have been injured in reputation if another nation had made it; and thus has added more brilliancy to the lustre of our maritime greatness.

§ ADMIRAL WALCOTT
said, as a professional man I am desirous of bearing my testimony to the unwonted zeal and enduring qualities displayed by Captain M'Clure, the officers, and ship's company, in the performance of the arduous service assigned to them. It was unnecessary to be reminded of the anxiety which had been displayed by the nation for the important discovery of the north-west passage, an anxiety springing from ambition to maintain even in such expeditions of hazard our maritime ascendancy. During three centuries fifty-eight times had the attempt been made by the most distinguished nations of Europe, and I am proud to know at last it has been achieved by the intrepidity of British seamen. I therefore hope the noble Lord at the head of the Government will accede to the Motion. For my own part I am free to confess that I had from the very commencement regarded the expeditions as practically useless; at the same time that consideration did not in the slightest degree derogate from the high qualifications and extraordinary exertions of the officers engaged in them.

§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTON
said, he could assure the hon. Gentleman he should have much pleasure in agreeing to his Motion. It was impossible that any one in that House could fail to appreciate as highly as his hon. Friend the great merits of Captain M'Clure; for it was that gallant officer's perseverance, courage, and daring, that 2246 had solved a problem which for a great length of time had excited intense anxiety among all the maritime nations of the world. He did not wish to supersede the functions of the Committee in indicating the way in which these services should be rewarded, but it would have been very unjust to the gallant officer and to the feelings of the House if he had not given his cordial assent to the Motion.