ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. XXXVll 



scientific inquiry, and I trust I may also add, as the last instalment 

 of valuable lives sacrificed to a vain and chimerical attempt to dis- 

 cover that which, could it ever be discovered, would be alike unpro- 

 fitable and unavailable. 



Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin was born at Spiisby in the year 

 1786, and performed his earliest service in the navy in the first year 

 of this century, as a midshipman on board of the Polyphemus at the 

 battle of Copenhagen. Sailing afterwards with Capt. Fhnders to 

 Australia, he acquired that skill in surveying and that power of ob- 

 servation which characterized his subsequent career. After serving 

 in the engagement against Admiral Linois in the Straits of Malacca, 

 he next acted as signal-midshipman of the Bellerophon in the glorious 

 victory of Trafalgar ; and, lastly, towards the conclusion of the great 

 war, his gallantry was again displayed conspicuously in the naval 

 attack upon New Orleans, for which conduct he obtained his 

 lieutenancy . 



A peace being established which promised a long duration, Franklin 

 sought to be employed in the most adventurous service in which a 

 seaman could then be engaged. He obtained, through the patronage 

 of Sir Joseph Banks, the command of the surveying vessel, the Trent, 

 being one of two ships under the orders of Capt. Buchan, destined to 

 penetrate into the Polar seas ; on that occasion Franklin not only 

 reached the high latitude of 84° 34" N. lat. in the meridian of Spitz- 

 bergen, but evinced a strong desire to be allowed to proceed onwards 

 alone, in the endeavour to effect a thorough passage. 



The undaunted and inflexible perseverance which he exhibited in 

 his explorations off the coast of North America, between the years 

 1819 and 1822, both inclusive, is well known to the public through 

 the clear and emphatic productions of his own pen. As geologists, 

 however, we must specially remember, that the rock-specimens then 

 brought home by Franklin and his associate, the eminent naturalist, 

 Richardson, first revealed to us the structure of those distant and 

 inaccessible regions. 



On his return to England, however, Franklin felt so strongly the 

 want of better geological knowledge on his own part and on that of 

 his officers, that when appointed to the command of the next Arctic 

 expedition, on which he sailed in 1825, he took his first lessons in 

 our science at the museum of our Society, accompanied by his dis- 

 tinguished companions. Back and Richardson. At these morning 

 meetings our much-respected former President, Dr. Fitton, was the 

 instructor, assisted by Mr. T. Webster, then our secretary ; Sir 

 Roderick Murchison, who has informed me of these circumstances, 

 being then also one of the learners. 



The intimacy thus commenced continued till Franklin's last depar- 

 ture from the shores of Britain in 1845 ; for whether he was tread- 

 ing unknown tracts of North America, or commanding the Rainbow 

 frigate in the Mediterranean, or performing the duties of Governor of 

 Van Diemen's Land, our deceased member, having been knighted 

 by his sovereign and duly honoured by various public bodies, 

 never ceased to correspond with his scientific friends, including Mr, 



VOL. XI. C 



