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Sir James Clark Ross and the Franklin Expedition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Richard J. Cyriax
Affiliation:
[Author of Sir John Franklin's Last Arctic Expedition, (London, 1939).]

Extract

No officers, apart from those who actually served in the Franklin expedition, were so closely connected with it, both before and after its departure, as Sir Edward Parry and Sir James Clark Ross. Parry, after his last Arctic expedition (1827), was consulted as a matter of course by the Admiralty on all Arctic problems; he assisted in organising the Franklin Expedition; and was one of the Admiralty's principal advisers during the search.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1942

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References

1 SirBarrow, John, Proposal for an attempt to complete the Discovery of a North-West Passage, quoted by C. R. Weld, Arctic Expeditions, London, 1850, pp. 1822.Google Scholar

2 Original reports, Admiralty Records, Public Record Office, Arctic Expeditions, 1845–48.

3 Parliamentary Paper, Instructions to Capt. Sir John Franklin, London, 1848, p. 73.Google Scholar

4 Ross's original report, loc. cit.

5 SirParry, W. Edward, Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage, 2nd edition, London, 1821, pp. 240, 241, 297.Google Scholar

6 SirParry, W. Edward, op. cit., 1821, p. 238.Google Scholar

7 SirRoss, John, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-West Passage, London, 1835, p. 416.Google Scholar

8 SirMcClintock, F. Leopold, The Voyage of the “Fox” in the Arctic seas, 5th edition, London, 1881, pp. 265, 299, 300.Google Scholar

9 Brown, J. (The North-West Passage, etc. London, 1858, pp. 363369, 385)Google Scholar claimed to have been the first to demonstrate that this channel must exist, but Ross seems to have suspected its presence several years before Brown.

10 Dictionary of National Biography, Article “Sir James Clark Ross”.

11 SirMarkham, Clements R., Life of Admiral Sir Leopold McClintock, London, 1909, p. 37.Google Scholar

12 Naval and Military Gazette, London, February 15th and 22nd, 1845.

13 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, p. 26.

14 McCormick, R., Voyages of Discovery in the Arctic and Antarctic Seas, 2 vols., London, 1884, Vol. 2, pp. 284, 285.Google Scholar

15 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, p. 26.

16 Ibid., pp. 3–7, Franklin's orders.

17 United Service Gazette, London, 05 10, 1845.Google Scholar

18 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, pp. 21, 22, 53.

19 Parliamentary Paper, Arctic Expeditions: Report of the Committee, London, 1851, pp. 56, 57.Google Scholar

20 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, pp. 26, 27.

21 Original report, Admiralty Records, Public Record Office, Arctic expeditions, 1845–48.

22 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, p. 21.

23 Ibid., p. 74.

24 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, pp. 30–32.

25 Ibid., pp. 41–43.

26 Barrow stated (Voyages of Discovery and Research within the Arctic Regions, London, 1846, p. 11)Google Scholar that Franklin had been ordered to pass through Lancaster Sound and Barrow Strait as far as “the last land on its southern shore”, and thence in a direct line to Bering Strait. By “the last land on its southern shore” Barrow meant Cape Walker, whereas King thought he meant Banks Land.

27 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, pp. 44–47.

28 Sir John Ross, op. cit., 1835, p. 560.

29 Op. cit., 1821, p. 264.

30 Picture of a steam-launch, etc., and description of the expedition, in The Illustrated London News, London, 05 13, 1848.Google Scholar

31 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1848, pp. 7–21, 24–26, 29, 30, 33, 34, etc.

32 Several books state that he sailed on June 12. He actually sailed on May 12.

33 Parliamentary Paper, Arctic Expedition, London, 1850, pp. 5864Google ScholarPubMed. See also, Parliamentary Paper, Arctic Expeditions. Extracts of any Proceedings or correspondence, etc., London, 1849, p. 1et seq.Google Scholar; Siṙ Markham, Clements R., op. cit. 1909, pp. 4967Google Scholar; Gilpin, J. D., “Outline of the Voyage of H.M. Ships ‘Enterprise’ and ‘Investigator’, etc.”, in The Nautical Magazine, London, 1850, pp. 819, 82–90, 160–170, 230Google Scholar; The Illustrated London News, London, 11 17 and December 1, 1849.Google Scholar

34 By “the westernmost point” of Melville Island Ross meant, not Cape Russell, but Cape Dundas. Melville Island had not been fully explored.

35 Parliamentary Paper, op. cit., 1850, p. 78.

36 SirMcClintock, F. Leopold, op. cit., 1st edition, London, 1859, pp. 361365, 401.Google Scholar

37 SirMarkham, Clements R., op. cit., 1909, p. 196.Google Scholar