John Powles Cheyne

William Elliott joined the British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1852-1854 (leader William Pullen), as clerk in charge in HMS North Star, the store ship for the British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1852-1854 (leader Sir Edward Belcher). North Star spent two winters at Beechey Island and was the only ship of the five in Belcher's search expedition to return to England in 1854, the other four being abandoned on Belcher's orders when beset in the ice. Elliott was later appointed paymaster in the survey vessel HMS Plumper under George Richards, engaged in a detailed survey of the waters between Vancouver Island and the American mainland, to help determine the location of the international boundary through the San Juan Islands.