286 DISCOVERIES OF MIDDLETON. 1742. 



pense, and contrived every thing so as to stifle the 

 discovery, and to prevent others from undertaking 

 it for the future, so as to secure the favour of the 

 Company, and the reward he said they promised 

 him before he began the voyage."^ 



The Lords of the Admiralty called on Captain 

 Middleton to answer the strong charges preferred 

 against him by Mr. Dobbs, which he did in detail; 

 but the impression of bribery or treachery had 

 gone forth against him, and it does not appear 

 that the Board of Admiralty w^as satisfied with his 

 explanation, or, at least, that they approved of his 

 conduct, though he asks them for that approba- 

 tion. On the contrary, it may rather be inferred, 

 that they considered him culpable; and concurred 

 in opinion with Mr. Dobbs, in the great proba- 

 bility of a north-west passage, which Middleton 

 either would not, or from ignorance could not, dis- 

 cover; for the very next year after his return an 

 -act of parliament was passed,! by which a re- 

 ward was offered of twenty thousand pounds to 

 the person or persons, being subjects of His 

 Majesty, who should discover a north-west pas- 

 sao-e throuoh Hudson's Strait to the w^estern and 

 northern ocean of America, a discovery which is 

 stated in the preamble to be *' of great benefit and 

 advantage to the trade of this kingdom." 



* Account of the Countries adjoining to Hudson's Bay, by 

 Arthur Dobbs, Esq. — p. 84. 

 f 18 Geo. II. chnp. 



