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tionary power with which an Officer under such circumstances can be entrusted; and we conclude they will be embodied in any future orders on the same subject.

19. We have thought it right to request from the several gentlemen named in the margin* their opinions on this interesting, but most difficult question; and we annex their replies, to which we beg to call their Lordships' attention.

20. We have also requested from Captain Austin and the Officers specially employed in his travelling partiest such suggestions as to practicable improvements in equipments, clothing, and provisions, as their recent experience so well qualifies them to offer. They are annexed to this report, and will be found of considerable importance.

21. Although our instructions do not advert to the report of the loss of the missing ships received from an Esquimaux named Adam Beck, and to whom Sir John Ross in his evidence still attaches much weight, we beg to state that a paper written by Adam Beck, in the presence of Sir John Ross and Captain Ommaney, and purporting to be the substance of information communicated to him by another Esquimaux, now in England, named Erasmus York, on the subject of the loss of the ships and the murder of the crews, has, on being translated before us by a Moravian missionary, well acquainted with the Esquimaux language, proved not to contain a single word relating to this occur

rence.

22. Adam Beck's subsequent deposition, which was sent to Copenhagen for translation, has not yet been returned; but if their Lordships should consider any further inquiry necessary, we would only express an earnest hope that it may be conducted separately, and not allowed to interfere with the early arrival of the proposed expedition in Barrow Strait.

23. With respect to the efforts now making to afford relief to the missing ships in the direction of Behring Strait, we do not venture to offer any suggestions beyond a hope that, until further accounts are received from Captain Collinson and Commander M'Clure, the Plover, may be kept fully provisioned.

WM. BOWLES, Rear Admiral.
ARTHUR FANSHAWE, Rear

Admiral.

We are, &c.,

W. E. PARRY, Captain
F. W. BEECHEY, Captain.
GEORGE BACK, Captain.

To J. Parker, Esq., M.P., &c., Admiralty.

The Secretary of the Admiralty to Rear Admiral Bowles.

Admiralty, Dec. 5th, 1851. Sir.-My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having received the

Rear Admiral Sir John Ross, the Rev. Dr. Scoresby, Captain Austin, Captain Kellett, Captain Ommaney, Sir John Richardson, Mr. W. Penny, and Mr. A. Stewart.

† Captain Ommaney, Lieutenant M'Clintock, Lieutenant S. Osborne, Mr. Bradford, Surgeon, and Mr. Brooman, Paymaster,

Report of the Committee of Naval Officers, appointed to inquire into and report on the conduct of the officers intrusted with the command of the late expedition in search of Captain Sir John Franklin and party, and whether everything was done by them to carry into effect their instructions, and to prosecute the search for the missing ships, I am cominanded by their Lord. ships to request you will accept for yourself, and convey to the other officers of whom the Committee was composed, the best thanks of the board of Admiralty for the ability, intelligence, and zeal, with which the inquiry has been conducted.

My Lords have perused with the greatest interest the Report, as well as the evidence which the Committee have thought fit to take upon the subject, and have much satisfaction in expressing their entire concurrence with the Committe in the opinion expressed by them of the conduct of Captain Austin, and the officers engaged in the recent expedition.

I am, &c.,

(Signed)

J. PARKER.

AN APPEAL TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE UNITED KINgdom, for THE PROVISION of Homes for OUR SAILORS.-By a Blue Jacket.

THE necessity of these institutions is now so obvious, that in a nation like Great Britain the claims of seamen to general sympathy and assistance only require to be brought prominently before the public mind to accomplish that end. The character of seamen possesses many striking features fitted to secure respect. They are, as a class, bold, brave, and generous; but, as their occupation excludes them so much from the rest of mankind, they are comparatively totally ignorant of the social relations of a community on shore. By reason of their candour and openness of character, they are easily imposed upon, and become in general the dupes of the designing from the moment they land.

Since the general peace, considerable exertions have been successfully made at various ports to impart to them religious instruction, and to effect this praiseworthy object many associations have been formed, denominated "Seamen's Friend Societies." Excellent as these no doubt are, the experience gained of late proves that these societies are greatly defective when not accompanied by the necessary adjunct of a Sailors' Home. Without this useful institution the efforts made to inculcate religious instruction are greatly neutralised, if not rendered altogether abortive. What otherwise can be expected from those who may be domiciled in a boarding-house, where dissipation and low debauchery impregnate the atmosphere, and where the main object is to deprive as quickly as possible the seamen of his hard-earned wages. The value of seamen may be briefly stated:-They are, under Providence, the great connecting link of the nations of the world; all countries should, therefore, be interested in their welfare; to their instrumentality we are indebted for many of the comforts and luxuries which we enjoy; how often do our tables bear the produce of the East and West Indies, and other distant countries, which have been brought to us by means of their efforts, and in accomplishing which they are exposed to storms,

changes of climate, and all the various dangers incident to a seafaring life. With the extended commercial machinery of modern times it may appear while we are enjoying our comfortable meal, in one sense, as if we individually traded directly with those distant regions, the produce of which may be before us, and which is obtained by us without trouble and at a comparatively small expense. We should reflect on the toil, privations, and labour that is required in conveying such necessaries and luxuries to us. These considerations should, at least, induce us to sympathise with the men who devote themselves to such a hazardous profession, and surely in addition to their hard-earned wages we should rejoice to welcome them to port, to guide, instruct, and protect them from those who would deceive and plunder them, and in endeavours to do them all the good in our power while they continue under our influence. In the history of our sea-girt island, seamen have never been wanting to guard our commerce and protect our shores.

Let us for a moment reflect on the Great Exhibition of all Nations of 1851, all the plans about which would be unavailing without the instrumentality of seamen, and lastly, we may ask, who conveys the Christian Missionary to his distant post? how are the blessings of Christianity and civilisation to extend without their aid? By steady and preserving efforts to advance the character of British seamen, we tend to advance the national character, of which they are, in one sense, the representatives in foreign climates. To evince our sense of their value it is our duty and interest to have Sailors' Homes at every seaport in the United Kingdom, where seamen could be boarded at a just and reasonable charge, their property taken care of, and encouraged to preserve their earnings by means of a Savings' Bank, and where, at the same time, themselves should be given every facility for their improving their minds and advancing their professional character. A register being kept of the particulars of each person, where could the shipowner better apply for a crew than at the Sailors' Home?

The Mercantile Marine Act recognizes these institutions, and the manifold advantages they will afford seamen generally. It would be well for shipowners to unite and establish Homes at each of their seaports. Let us never forget that we have great maritime rivals on the other side of the Atlantic, who are so alive to the advantages of such institutions, that for several years there have been Sailors' Homes, conducted on excellent regulations, for the comfort of seamen, in full operation in several sea-ports in the United States. May not this foresight of the Americans and our neglect operate frequently in inducing our seamen to engage in the service of a foreign nation? Repeated appeals, by means of the press, are necessary until we see Sailors' Homes

as common as Custom-houses. The recent benevolent exertions of Captain Hall, R.N., for the purpose of establishing Sailors' Homes, shows what can be done by one person, and what might we not expect by various combinations of persons of influence? Let us act justly to

our sailors.

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SAILORS' HOME AT THE PORT OF BRISTOL.

A meeting of merchants, shipowners, and others favourable to the establishment of a Sailors' Home for this port was held on Tuesday, at the office of the Mercantile Marine Board, Princes-street. The object of the proposed institution is to "provide for seamen, whether men-of war's men, yachtsmen, merchant sailors, or shipwrecked seamen, of all nations, a respectable and comfortable board and lodging house, with medical attendance, where men, when paid off from their ships, passing from one port to another, on shore on leave, prevented by stress of weather from returning to their ships, discharged from hospitals, waiting for a ship, or in any way in need of board and lodging, will be received and entertained at as moderate a charge as possible, and where religious and useful instruction will be within their reach, without any additional cost-thus inculcating in them the performance of their duty both towards God and man; and where their friends may address them letters, or meet them whilst fitting out, or on their return from sea."

The chair was taken by P. W. S. Miles, Esq., M.P., who, having made a few observations upon the necessity and desirability of the proposed institution, cailed on

Capt. Hall, R. N., to address the meeting. The gallant captain said he was not much accustomed to public speaking, but still he would endeavour to explain the benefits of Sailors' Homes. The condition of sailors was well known, and until lately little or nothing had been done towards ameliorating it. Now, however, in many of the principal ports, such as London, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Glasgow, &c., Sailors' Homes had been established, and were found to have answered admirably, and had already proved a great boon to seamen when on shore. Capt. Hall then proceeded to describe his visits to the various ports of the United Kingdom for the purpose of aiding in the establishment of Sailors' Homes, and the success he had met with. In Liverpool a great mistake had been made by the committee, as they had expended a large sum of money in building, which he trusted would be avoided in this port, as it had nearly been fatal to the success of the institution. The lodging-houses of that port were of the most abominable kind, and, until the establishment of a Sailors' Home, the poor sailors had no other place to go to. In Dublin a Sailors' Home had been established, and that with the most beneficial effects. It had now been in existence two years, and, notwithstanding the difficulties with which the committee had had to contend, it answered its objects most admirably, the other lodging-houses becoming improved in their character and lower in their charges than before. In Belfast he had met with similar success. There the lodging-houses were of the worst description, and when a ship wanted to go to sea, the captain, from the want of such an institution as a Sailors' Home, had been to those low public houses in order to find his men. From thence he crossed over to Glasgow. He found that there had been, for a long time past, some talk of getting up a Sailors' Home at that port, but nothing practical had been

done. When he arrived there he, as was his wont, inquired into the character of the lodging-houses, and found them to be very bad. About a fortnight previous to his arrival, he had been informed that a foreign sailor, who had taken refuge in one of them, was turned out into the streets with only a pair of trousers and an old red shirt, and that he was so ashamed that he shot himself. At Greenock, Stornoway, and Aberdeen, Sailors' Homes had also been established. At the meeting held at Aberdeen, Capt. Abbott, said he was indebted to the Sailors' Home in London for the proud position he held as the captain of a merchant vessel, as previous to his going there he had never known how to take care of himself. At Dundee there was also a Sailors' Home nearly ready for opening. Other ports he had also visited, and he trusted that in them he had also laid the foundation for similar institutions. At Portsmouth it was found that a Sailors' Hone was very much needed, and on his return from Ireland one was commenced there. That institution had now been opened for some time, and so great was its success, that it was absolutely necessary that it should be enlarged. When there a few days ago the place was quite full. Several of the men had been on shore more than a month, and had visited the crystal palace five times; and some of them left the institution to go on board the Centaur with £10 or £17 in their pockets! He should like to know who had ever heard of a sailor going on board a man-of-war with £10 in his pocket before? Such a fact was a compliment to the service, to the men, and to the institution of Sailors' Homes. At Devonport an institution had been commenced, and there was not the slightest doubt of its success.

After mentioning one or two other places at which similar institutions had been established, or were much required, the gallant captain referred to Bristol. In no port was a Sailors' Home greater needed than in Bristol. Capt. Fisher, the superintendent of the police, had informed him that the character of the lodging-houses was very low, and this fact had been confirmed by all with whom he had conversed upon the subject. When a ship came from any foreign port, the sailors were surrounded by a dozen or two of what were called "runners," and these abominable erimps would use every artifice in order to get men to their houses. There was no respectable person from the Sailors' Home to meet them, and how then could they blame the poor fellows for going wrong when there was none to put them right. He was sure the establishment of the proposed institution would make a great change for the better; it did not require much money to commence, and it would be the means of conferring great benefits on a most deserving class of men. He had often been asked, when speaking upon this subject elsewhere, what religion do you mean to teach? His answer was none at all. They had nothing whatever to do with sect or creed. If a sailor of the Free Kirk of Scotland wished to go to a church of that persuasion, the porter would be instructed to give him information where to find it; and the same would be the case with a Roman Catholic, or the member of any other sect. They had nothing to do with proselytising, all they wished was to reform them from going to those horrible haunts they must go to if Sailors' Homes were not provided.

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