223 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
mander Ross in regard to the rank, which he held on board the 
Victory, Capt. Ross was re-examined by the committee, and the 
first question that was put to him was : 
With regard to the command of the expedition, you consider¬ 
ed yourself in command from beginning to end ? Certainly. 
Did you consider yourself in command of Commander Ross as 
well as the others? Certainly. 
You considered him as under your orders ? Yes. 
Did any agreement take place between you and him before 
you started? No, he said that he would agree to the agreement 
but it was never put into execution. 
What was the understanding ? The understanding was, that 
he was to go as second in command. 
It was not a jont command? Not in my idea, certainly, I 
would never enter on a joint command with any one; there can 
but be one commander on board a ship. 
When Commander Ross left the ship, did he go according to 
his own direction ? I gave him unlimited power to do as he 
found best, for that must always be done in an unknown region. 
The authority emanated from you? Yes, he could not have 
gone without my permission. 
Had, throughout the expedition, Commander Ross the Com¬ 
mand of the ship? Never, but under my orders, I allowed him 
to do the duty as first Lieutenant, I gave him the command, 
which I conceive a first Lieutenant ought to have, but he has no 
right to say that he had a joint command with me. 
The first Lieutenant of a king’s ship takes the command ? Yes 
and carries on the duty. I had other things to do in many 
respects, and he had power to work the ship, and put her about 
without reference to me. 
The responsibility rested with you? \es, 
Was he amenable to you for disobedience of orders? It 
would have been mutiny. 
Do you think it possible that Commander Ross should have 
imagined he had an independant command ? It was impossible, 
he must have known discipline better than to suppose there 
could be two commanders in one ship. 
