1854.] CORRESPONDENCE ON ABANDONMENT. 167 



" My dear Sir Edward, Nothing is further from my 

 intention, in the letters I have addressed to you, than 

 that of irritating you, but you really have given me no 

 orders that I could act on. Had you said to me, That, 

 knowing their Lordships' views, and weighing my altered 

 position from that you expected me to occupy at the 

 time of your writing my orders, it was your direction 

 that I should abandon (my ship) both vessels, all would 

 have been well with me, and you would have had me 

 with you." 



And yet Lieutenant Hamilton, after I did know alt, 

 was the bearer of my letter, containing the following : 



" You will, on your arrival at the ' North Star/ with 

 all the others, be borne as supernumeraries for victuals, 

 etc., but in command. You will treat Pullen as a Com- 

 missioner of a Dockyard, and let everything be con- 

 ducted on paper. Give your orders, hoist your pendant 

 on any boat, and command. 



" You have before you all that I know. You know 

 the late orders of the ' Phoenix,' if she got home ; and 

 nothing but decision, at my risk, must mark the move- 

 ments of this Squadron. 



" The next orders will be imperative ; and, after their 

 receipt, there will not, probably, be any opportunity for 

 any ulterior measures, at that late season, for withdrawing 

 crews and reaching Beechey Island. 



" This abandonment goes mightily against the grain. 

 If we could save even ' Intrepid,' it would be something ; 

 but your distance off-shore precludes any movement be- 

 fore the 22nd of August, and that is too late for ope- 

 rations at Beechev Island. No ! all must come ; no vo- 



