ch. xxvi] The Franklin Expedition 239 
Fitzjames was an orphan, an excellent sailor, full of 
zeal and devoted to his profession. He was exceedingly 
popular, and an officer of rare ability, with a talent for 
organisation and the management of men, the beau ideal, 
in short, of an Arctic leader. But Sir John Barrow 
reckoned without his Lords. They approved the scheme, 
but pronounced Fitzjames, who was 33, and four years 
older than Parry in his first voyage, to be much too 
young to have the command. 
Sir John Franklin had just returned from Tasmania, 
where he had made an excellent Governor. But in the 
last year he had suffered much annoyance from the in- 
subordinate and disloyal intrigues of the Colonial Secre- 
tary. Lord Stanley, then Secretary of State for the 
Colonies, took the part of the intriguer and not only 
treated Sir John Franklin with great injustice but with 
flagrant discourtesy. Franklin came home very sore at 
heart, and when he heard of the expedition he pressed 
for the command. But he was nearly 60, at least 20 
years too old. Sir James Ross, fifteen years younger, 
had been offered it, but declined on the score of age. 
Lady Franklin wrote that "such an appointment would 
do more than anything else to counteract the effect of 
Lord Stanley's tyranny and injustice." "I dread ex- 
ceedingly the effect on his mind of being without 
honourable and immediate employment/ 3 Lord Had- 
dington, the first Lord, then consulted Sir Edward Parry, 
who represented that the refusal of Sir John's applica- 
tion would be a severe blow to him. He was appointed 
with some hesitation and misgiving. Sir John Barrow 
then assured Fitzjames that he would have the command 
of the second ship. But Captain Crozier, who was at 
Naples, came back and laid claim to the second ship as 
an experienced Arctic officer. He was appointed, though 
much too old. All this was a bitter disappointment to 
Fitzjames. But when Sir John Barrow told him he 
could go as commander under Franklin if he thought it 
worth his while, he at once accepted. He was delighted 
with Franklin and they worked together in perfect 
harmony. 
Fitzjames naturally had a good deal to do with the 
appointment of officers. The First Lieutenant of the 
