42 
SUPPLEMENT. 
of the sun upon the magnet, had been discovered long before 
he made his appearance in the world? and that it is to be found 
in the writings of Lorimer, Knight, Canton, Cavallo and others, 
who wrote about the middle of the 18th century; and conse¬ 
quently that that which he calls a desideratum in science, and 
which he wishes the committee to consider as one of the results 
of his expedition, was known to the very tyro in the science of 
magnetism, long before the sound of his name was heard amidst 
the rocks of his native mountains, or: the hummocks of ice in 
Boothia Felix. 
In other instances, it is scarcely to be supposed that Capt. 
Ross could have perused the memoir of his nephew, previously 
to his entering upon his examination before the committee, or he 
would not have allowed himself to fall into those gross inaccuracies 
and contradictions, by which it is so particularly distinguished. 
Commander Ross, when speaking of the equipment of the ex¬ 
pedition, says in his memoir, u The smallness of the vessel in 
which we embarked, necessarily limited the number and magni¬ 
tude of our magnetic instruments . 
When Capt. Ross was before the committee, he may be sup¬ 
posed to be standing on his trial, as to the actual extent of the 
loss of his personal property, on which, in some respects, his 
claim to remuneration from the public was to be founded. It is 
not, therefore, to be wondered at, that he calculated his losses at 
their maximum; but at the same time it is rather unfortunate 
for him, that a very great difference exists in tKe report of Com¬ 
mander Ross and the evidence of Capt. Ross touching these very 
objects, which constituted his principal loss. The former states, 
that the number and magnitude of their instruments were limited, 
on account of the smallness of the vessel. This statement, how¬ 
ever, is directly contradicted by Capt. Ross, as will appear by 
the following examination:— 
“ Are you aware whether your nephew sustained any pecuni¬ 
ary losses from the expedition V* —“ No , except his clothes, which 
every one lost.” 
“Had he instruments?”—“ He had a few instruments, but they 
were not of any very great consequence 
