354 APPENDIX. No. I. 



no reply, and accordingly the President of the Eoyal 

 Society put a question respecting the Memorial in the 

 House of Lords at the close of the session, which drew 

 from one of Her Majesty's Ministers (Lord Stanley), 

 after some preliminary observations, the assurance that 

 Her Majesty's G-overnment would give the subject their 

 serious consideration during the recess. I may be per- 

 mitted to add, that, in the conversation which followed, 

 Lord Stanley expressed himself as very favourably 

 disposed towards a proposition made to him by Lord 

 Wrottesley, that, in the event of there being no 

 Government expedition, I should be assisted in fitting 

 out my own expedition ; an assurance which Lord 

 Wrottesley had the kindness to communicate to me 

 by letter. 



But, my Lord, as nothing has occurred within the 

 last few months to weaken the reasons which induced 

 the Admiralty, early in July last, to contemplate 

 another final effort, and as they put it aside at that 

 time on the sole ground that it was too late to equip 

 a vessel for that season, I trust it will be felt that I 

 am not endeavouring to re-open a closed question, 

 but merely to obtain the settlement of one which has 

 not ceased to be, and is even now, under favom-able 

 consideration. The time has arrived, however, when 

 I trust I may be pardoned for pressing your Lordship, 

 with whom I believe the question rests, for a decision, 

 since by further delay even my own efibrts may be 

 paralysed, 



I have cherished the hope, in common with others, 

 that we are not waiting in vain. Should, however, that 

 decision unfortimately throw upon me the responsibility 

 and the cost of sending out a vessel myself, I beg to 

 assure your Lordship that I shall not shrink, either 

 from that weighty responsibiUty, or from the sacrifice 

 of my entire available fortune for the purpose, sup- 

 ported as I am in my convictions by such high autho- 



