174^. ( 287 ) 



WILLIAM MOOR AND FRANCIS SMITH. 1745. 



The public opinion in favour of the existence 

 of a north-west passage was not in the least 

 shaken by the failure of Captain Middleton. The 

 charges of misconduct brought against him by 

 Mr. Dobbs, and the arguments of that gentleman 

 in favour of such a passage, ultimately prevailed. 

 The implied disapprobation of this officer's con- 

 duct by the Lords Commissioners of the Ad- 

 miralty, and their recommendation of a liberal 

 reward to be granted for the discovery of §uch a 

 passage, had the effect that might have been ex- 

 pected. A plan was immediately set on foot for 

 fitting out an expedition of discovery; and to 

 defray the expenses it was proposed that a sub- 

 scription should be opened, for raising the sum of 

 ten thousand pounds, to be divided into one hun- 

 dred shares, of one hundred pounds each. A 

 Committee was appointed, and two small vessels 

 purchased, the Dobbs Galley, of 180 tons, and the 

 California, of 140 tons; the command of the 

 former was given to Captain William Moor, 

 and of the latter to Captain Francis Smith. Mr. 

 Ellis was engaged to proceed on the voyage, as 

 Agent for the Committee. Of this voyage two 

 accounts have been published, one by Mr. Ellis, 

 a plain, unaffected, intelligible narrative; the 

 other by " the Clerk of the California,'' whose 



