1854.] SEMI-OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. 119 



officers and crew on your books as " Supernumeraries for Victuals and 

 Wages," but not doing duty unless by your order, in which you will be 

 guided by the Admiralty Instructions. 



Should Captain Collinson fortunately reach, you will pursue the 

 same course, and not under any consideration risk the detention of an- 

 other season. 



These are the views of Government ; and having so far explained myself, 

 I will not hamper you with any further Instructions, than meet me at 

 Beechey Island, with the crews of all vessels, before the %bth of August. 



Trusting to an All-merciful Providence that you may be able safely 

 to. effect this, and that we may all meet in health and cheerfulness at 

 Beechey Island, 



Believe me, faithfully and sincerely yours, 



EDWARD BELCHER, Captain, 



Commanding Arctic Squadron. 

 To CAPTAIN HENRY KELLETT, C.B., 



H.M.S. Resolute. 



It is unnecessary to trouble my readers with private 

 matters, but my explanatory letter of the 1 2th of Febru- 

 ary, which accompanied this, and demi-official, runs : 



I foresee their Lordships' next Instructions, and under this con- 

 viction have sent you orders to abandon. It is impossible to trust to 

 the middle of August ; last year the ' Phoenix' left on the 26th, and / 

 even doubt if she got home safely ! I know, my good fellow, how 

 troublesome it is to make a resolution when no orders cover it ; there- 

 fore I have been so explicit with you, and put it beyond the power of 

 those at home to tell me I should have been decisive (as they did 

 when Monypenny walked off with the barge). It is clear now that no 

 ship can be of any use westerly of Beechey Island if you secure ' Re- 

 solute' in any safe position, for the facility with which Richards will 

 reach you will place such matters beyond doubt. * * 



I have a strong impression that Collinson will either come up Peel 

 Strait towards Leopold Island, or meet Rae and accompany him to the 

 Hudson's Bay Settlements. There too I see a failure : he would not 

 have boats to carry them. But knowing of ' North Star ' at Beechey 

 Island, he must naturally be driven to prefer this route, with the cer- 

 tainty of a steamer to take him home in August. 



These observations were written under the impression 



