PRELIMINARY CHAPTER 



Hall's three Expeditions— Purchase of his Manuscripts by Congress — Resolution of 

 THE Senate of February 6, 1877— The three Expeditions compared— Connection 

 OF THE First and of the Second with the Franklin Expedition— Correspondence 

 WITH Lady Franklin— Hall's "Appeal" and Lecture in 18C0 — Tables of English 

 and of American explorations for the Northwest Passage and for the relief 

 of Franklin — Beneficial Results and estimated costs of these Expeditions, 

 public and private, stated in a letter from Admiral Sir Leopold McClintock, 

 R. N. — The small percentage of deaths— Arctic Authorities, 1818-1860. 



The late Capt. Charles Francis Hall, commander of the Xortli 

 Polar Expedition of 187 J, United States steamship Polaris, had pre- 

 viously made two voyages, or, as he has called them, " Expeditions," 

 to the northern shores of America. 



The first of these embraced a period of two years and three 

 months, from May 29, 1860, to September 13, 1862, furnishing the 

 material for his "Arctic Researches," which he published in 1864 



The second voyage and residence among the Eskimos occui)ied 

 the longer period of five years and three months, from June 30, 1864, 

 to September 26, 1869 ; but of this he left no narrative, becoming 

 absorbed immediately on his return in preparing for his third voyage, 

 that of the Polaris. On board of this vessel his sudden death occun-ed 

 November 8, 1871. 



Under the act of Congress approved June 23, 1874, the Navy 



xi 



