xlviii INTRODUCTION. 



loyal subjects suffering and dying for their country's 

 honour. 1 



"This final and -exhausting search is all I seek in behalf 

 of the first and only martyrs to arctic discovery in modern 

 times, and it is all I ever intend to ask " 



"It is my humble hope and fervent prayer, that the 

 Government of my country will themselves complete the 

 work of search which they have begun, and not leave it to a 

 weak and helpless woman to attempt the doing that imper- 

 fectly which they themselves can do so easily and well ; yet, 

 if need be, such is my painful resolve, God helping me." 



Had the prayer of this petition been granted, it is need- 

 less to say that the expedition of the ' Fox ' would not have 

 taken place. 



The national monument commemorative of this — perhaps 

 the noblest episode in England's naval history — has been 

 erected in Waterloo Place. Upon the pedestal beneath his 

 statue is the following inscription : — 



FRANKLIN. 



TO THE GREAT NAVIGATOR 



AND HIS BRAVE COMPANIONS 



WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES IN 



COMPLETING THE DISCOVERY OF 



THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



A.D. 1847-S. 



ERECTED BY THE UNANIMOUS VOTE 

 OF PARLIAMENT. 



1 Written at the close of the Crimean War. 



