112 LADY FRANKLIN— ROYAL AWARDS. [May 28, 1860. 



In ascertaining the date and place of the death of Franklin, 

 M'Clintock and his companions have also effected several important 

 geographical discoveries. Lands and seas which had hitherto been 

 entirely unknown to geography have by their energy and ability 

 been laid open. 



Owing thus to the devotion of Lady Franklin and the skill of 

 Captain M'Clintock, it is now demonstrated that the Erebus and 

 TeiTor ascended Wellington Channel to the 77° of north latitude , 

 that the two ships were navigated round Comwallis Land, which 

 was thus proved to be an island ; and that finally, steering from 

 Beechey Island to the south-west, they were, on the 12th of Sept- 

 ember, 1846, beset in the ice, in which they wintered in latitude 

 N. 70° 5' and longitude w. 98° 23', having reached a position never 

 before or since attained by any other ship. 



In placing the Erebus and Terror, in 1846, in this position, it is 

 clear that the Franklin expedition, whose commander, with others,* 

 had previously ascertained the existence of a channel along the 

 North coast of America, with which the frozen sea, wherein ho 

 was beset, had a direct communication, had thus, in a geographical 

 sense, firmly established the existence of a North- West Passage. 



Having by this great feat rendered his name illustrious, the 

 Council deem it to be an act of justice that as Ross, Back, Simpson, 

 Eae, Inglefield, M'Clure, Kane, and CoUinson have each been 

 rewarded by a Medal of this Society for their distinguished Arctic 

 researches, so the list of such worthies cannot be more appropriately 

 enriched than by offering the Patron's Medal of the year to the con- 

 secration of the deeds of Franklin. 



In so doing the Council have indeed a peculiar satisfaction in 

 awarding this Medal to the relict of the great navigator, in admira- 

 tion of the single-minded and undaunted energy which animated 

 her endeavours, and which have terminated in clearly ascertaining 

 that, in sacrificing their lives, Franklin and his brave companions 

 died in solving the long-sought geographical problem. 



The Council therefore hope that Lady Franklin will consider the 

 Gold Medal now awarded to her not only as the merited recompense 

 of her husband's discoveries, but will also accept it as a testimony 

 of the admiration entertained by British geographers for her who has 

 devoted the last twelve years of her life to this glorious object, in 

 accomplishing which she has sacrificed so large a portion of her 

 worldly means. 



* Beechey, Hearne, Mackenzie, Richardson, &c. 



