McCLURE, Sir Robert John Le Mesurier (1807-1873). Naval officer and Arctic navigator.
Fine Autograph Letter Signed to Washington (evidently the hydrographer John Washington, 1800-1863), 4 pages 8vo (small tear), Esk, Singapore, 3 May 1860. Reminiscing about his expedition in search of Sir John Franklin in 1850-1854, and giving a very full account of the dangerous situation in China, to which he was now posted.

'I have to return you many thanks for the Arctic Charts, and for restoring my name to the western waters that separate Baring and Mailville Islands, had I not not mentioned the circumstance you might have considered the red current that flows through my heart as frozen as that which bears my humber name. I suppose the Chapter of Polar Discovery is closed for this generation. ... McClintock well deserves all the Honours he has so hardly earned ...
I believe we must have a fight before matters can be settled with Celestials who have returned with defiance the Ultimatum sent in by Mr Bruce [Frederick Bruce (1814-1867), brother of Lord Elgin]. I have always been for peace hitherto thinking the Chinese had much to be said in their defence respecting the Peiho affair, but since then the war party at Pekin have been in the ascendant, headed by their celebrated Prince Shin-man-shan, ... backed as he is by the chief mandarins and at the head of 200,000 men 60,000 of which are Tartar Cavalry ...'

[No: 21701]