22 ADDRESS. 



may be more or less active at any given period, as circumstances 

 may control ; but even if abandoned by the present age, succeed- 

 ing generations will revert to the inquiry, till it "be either crowned 

 with success, or the discovery of an insurmountable barrier shall 

 demonstrate its futility. Its object will be accomplished. The 

 entire outline of coast may be delineated by land ; the northern 

 extremity of our continent will yet be doubled by sea. In the 

 extent of coast from Behring's Straits to Baffin's Bay, about one 

 hundred degrees of longitude are comprised ; between the dis- 

 coveries of Captain Beechy and of Captain Franklin, not more 

 than six degrees ; and say ten degrees between the latter and 

 those of Captain Ross. The point attained by Captain Back 

 gives us one degree more ; and the space from thence to the 

 southeastern extremity of Regent's Inlet includes about 200 miles. 

 With these exceptions the whole extent has already been traced 

 on the map. There is no insuperable impediment to what remains 

 to do. The subject has been submitted to the consideration of a 

 committee composed of Barrow, Parry, Franklin, Beaufort, Back, 

 Maconochie, Richardson, and Parrish ; men distinguished for the 

 highest traits of intelligence and enduring enterprise. By this 

 committee we have no doubt the undertaking will be strongly 

 recommended. Let them proceed. We yield them the north. 

 For us a wider range, a nobler field, a prospect of more compre- 

 hensive promise, lies open in the south. Often, with reference to 

 this subject, in conversation with otherwise well-informed persons, 

 we have been asked the question, "What advantage has Great 

 Britain derived from her endeavours to find a northwest passage, 

 and what does she still promise herself in the prosecution of a 

 design which, even if accomplished, can never lead to any prac- 

 tical benefit in carrying on the commerce of the world?" We 

 answer that the question, cui bono ? should never be put in affairs 

 of this kind. Scientific research ought not to be thus weighed. 

 Its utility cannot be computed in advance, but becomes apparent 



