356 APPENDIX. Xo. 1. 



free gift to tlae Queen. The ' Eesolute ' is about to be 

 delivered up in Portsmouth harbour, not merely in 

 evidence of the cordial relation existing between the 

 two countries, but as a lively token of the deep interest 

 and sympathy of the Americans in that great cause of 

 humanity in which they have so nobly borne their part. 

 The resolution of Congress expressly states this motive, 

 and indeed there could be no other, as it is well known 

 that for any purpose but the Arctic service those ex- 

 pensive equipments would be perfectly useless and 

 require removal. 



My Lord, you will not let this rescued and restored 

 ship, emblematic of so many enlightened and generous 

 sentiments, fad, even partially, in her significant mission. 

 I venture to hope that she will be accepted in the spirit 

 in which she is sent. I humbly trust that the American 

 people, and especially that philanthropic citizen who 

 has spent so largely of his private fortune in the search 

 for the lost ships, and to whom was committed by liis 

 Government the entire charge of the equipment of the 

 'Resolute,' will be rewarded for this signal act of 

 sympathy, by seeing her restored to her original voca- 

 tion, so that she may bring back from the Arctic seas, 

 if not some living remnant of our long-lost countrymen, 

 yet at least the proofs that they have nobly perished. 



I need not add that we have as yet no proofs, what- 

 ever may be our melancholy forebodings. That such is 

 the fact, in a legal point of view, is shown by a case 

 now or lately pending in the Scotch Courts, in which 

 the right of succession to a considerable property is not 

 admitted, on account of the absence of all but conjec- 

 tural testimony. In tliis aspect of the question I have 

 no personal interest, but it is one that may not be 

 deemed unworthy of your Lordship's attention, com- 

 bined as it must be with the fact that our most ex- 

 perienced Arctic officers are willing to stake their 

 reputation upon the feasibility of reaching the spot 



