Captain Inglefield, of her Majesty's ship Phamix, arrived at the
Ad- miralty yesterday, from the Arctic regions, with the unexpected news that Captain M‘Cfure of the Investigator had discovered the North-west Passage! We learn from the despatches published this morning, that the Investigator, which was last seen in 1850, made its way through Bebring's Straits, and so onward among the Arctic seas, until it could get no further ; taking refuge at length in a bay on a newly-discovered island, named Baring's Island by Captain li'Clure. Thence, on the 26th October 1850, a travelling party discovered a strait leading into Barrow's Straits —and thus completed the North-west Passage. At Baring's Island, with the exception of a brief interval, Captain M‘Clure has been compelled to stay. In a notice deposited by a travelling party in April 1852, he says— "It is my intention, if possible to return to England this season, touch- ing at Melville Island and Port Leopold: but, should we not be again heard of, in all probability we shall have been carried into the Polar Pack, or to the Westward of Melville Island ; in either of which cases, any attempt to send succour would only be to increase the evil, as any ship that enters the Polar Pack must be inevitably crushed. Therefore a depot of provisions, or a ship at Winter Harbour, is the best and only certainty for the safety of the surviving crews."
Captain Inglefield brings home more recent despatches from Captais M`Clure, who intended to continue his explorations this year, ice per- mitting. Despatches have also arrived from Captain Kellett of the Reso- lute; who from Dealy Island, Melville Island, had communicated with Captain M'Clure, and from Sir Edward Belcher. Not the slightest trace has been found of Sir John Franklin.
The Phcenix, Captain Iuglefield's ship, arrived out at Beeohy Island, and deposited supplies as directed. She lost her transport in the ice, but saved the crew. Unfortunately, a more serious loss was incurred : the gallant French volunteer, Lieutenant Bellot, was blown off a hummock of ice, with two men, and drowned. The men, after enduring great hardships, escaped.
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