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Arctic Blue Books Online
Preliminary Guide
To varying degrees, reports of British Arctic explorers were incorporated
into the Sessional Papers of the Houses of Parliament,
to become inherent components of the Parliamentary Papers.
The contents of Sessional Pa pers were not limited
to Arctic expeditions but covered the entire gamut of Parliamentary
interests and activities, and occasionally bulked more than a hundred
volumes annually. "The papers of the nineteenth century number over
fifty thousand, and in the bound sets, take up several thousand
volumes" (Ford and Ford, 1953, p. vii).
Only 47 papers in this period are known by the writer to concern
the Canadian Arctic. Certain subjects recorded in these Sessional
Papers warranted broader dissemination outside Parliament.
These were printed in larger numbers, and were se parately bound
usually in deep ultramarine paper wrappers to become known as Blue
Books. These Blue Books "...give information
of new discoveries; they are the official records of society; they
gather from all quarters illustr ations of the evils which Parliament
is asked to remedy; they almost invariably refer to what is novel,
and are very often the first authentic accounts published of the
actual progress of society, or the formation of those new phases
with which it is the duty of legislation especially to deal" (Jones,
1904,
p. viii).
Parliamentary Papers
Parliamentary Papers have been defined as "...either
papers of the House of Lords or papers of the House of Commons.
Being presented during the session of Parliament, they are termed
the Sessional Papers of either House" (Adam, 1913,
p.v). Sessional Papers of each House of Parliament
may be subdivided into two categories:
- Papers presented to the House in pursuance of an Act
of Parliament, or in return to an order of the House.
- Papers presented by Command of Her Majesty.
The Sessional Papers concerning Arctic expeditions were
all published as small folios (measuring 8.2 by 13.1 inches), although
in later years other papers were bound as octavo volumes. Each House
had its own system of numbering the papers. Workable collections of
the Sessional Papers of the House of Lords are so rare,
however, that a preference has developed amongst researchers to use
the House of Commons Papers for reference purposes.
Following presentation, House of Commons Papers required a dated Order
of the House to be printed. Hence, all but a few of the Command papers
contain the inscription, "Ordered, by The House of Commons,
to be Printed...", on su ch and such a date. These House
of Commons papers form a numbered series for each session beginning
anew with paper No. 1 for the new session. To cite them by number,
it is usually necessary to give the sessional year to identify a paper.
Normally the Sessional Paper number is in chronological
sequence throughout the year, but occasionally where a second session
has begun in that same year, a new sequence will be started, for example,
amongst the Arctic Papers, H.C. -501 of the 1852 Sessi on (1852k)
was printed on 22 June 1852, and H.C. -82 of the
1852-53 Session (1852m) was printed on 20 December 1852, near the
beginning of the new session.
Sessional Papers of the House of Commons record material
covering a great variety of subjects, much of it being in the form
of correspondence, journals, or as reports of Parliamentary Committees.
"...I do not think that there is anyone who more values the labours
of Parliamentary Committees than myself. They obtain for the country
an extraordinary mass of valuable information which probably would
not otherwise be at hand or available; and formed as they necessarily
are of chosen men from the two most important bodies of the State,
their Reports are pregnant with prudent and sagacious suggestions
for the improvement of the administration of affairs." (Lord Beaconsfield
in Hansard, 3rd Series, Vol. 235 (1877) p. 1478).
"Parliamentary Papers do not usually have authors or
titles in the commonly accepted sense.... The paper cover and title-page
may have the short title at its head and a longer title, consisting
of the whole or part of the terms of reference, in its centre; and
sometimes none of the words used in the short title...are to be found
in the 'long' title." (Ford and Ford, 1953, p. ix). The use of the
short and long title by two different authors for the same paper has
occasionally been a source of ambiguity.
The pagination of volumes of Sessional Papers of
both Houses was not done at the time of printing. The pages of some
volumes were officially numbered in manuscript, but the same volumes
were also issued completely bound, without being pagin ated. Some
of these have found their ways into libraries unnumbered and others
have been numbered in manuscript without reference to the official
pagination which is given at the front of each volume. Where charts
and maps have been inserted, they may i n one instance have been
included in the pagination, and in another omitted. Although reference
to the sessional year and volume may lead to the discovery of the
paper sought, the pages of a paper within different copies of the
same numbered volume may v ary somewhat. Consequently, reference
to pages of Sessional Papers numbered in manuscript
may be only approximate. However, each paper has its own printed
pagination, which is a much more reliable one to use than that of
the Sessional Papers.
There are occasional discrepancies in pagination even between
papers which have printed page numbers. In 1852, the House of Commons
issued the "Additional Papers Relative to the Arctic Expedition
under the Orders of Captain Austin and Mr. Willi am
Penny" /No. 1436/, which was numbered to page 368. An earlier
edition of the same paper was dated 1851, and numbered 370 pages,
yet the contents are apparently the same in both papers (see 1852b).
Command Papers
Command Papers are those Sessional Papers
which were presented by command of Her Majesty the Queen, in order
to convey to Parliament and to the public, information which the
government of the day considered should be widely dis seminated.
Until comparatively recent years, presentation to Parliament was
the sole method of publication possessed by the government, with
the exception of the London Gazette. This channel
became increasingly used with the growing influen ce of public opinion,
in order to inform and guide the opinions by which it existed.
During the nineteenth century, Command Papers greatly
increased in numbers, as the government discovered the wisdom of
issuing spontaneous information on matters of current public interest,
without awaiting a request by Parliament. This out let was not available
when the House was in recess, and in order to create a means of
publication to cover urgently developing situations (such as those
in foreign affairs), the agency of H.M. Stationery Office was created.
Command Papers in printed form were issued in numbered
series, the numbers always being enclosed in square brackets. Three
series have been developed to date, as follows:
- /1/ to /4222/, terminating with the Session of 1868-69.
- /C. 1/ to /C. 9550/, ending with the Session of 1899.
- /Cd. 1/ to /Cd. .../ in current use.
The Arctic Papers are confined to the first two of these series.
Public Sale of Parliamentary Papers
The publication of Parliamentary Papers in bound volumes
appears to have begun in 1773 (Journal of the
House of Commons, Vol. XXXIV, p. 385). Prior
to 1800, House of Commons Papers comprise d the bulk of the published
Parliamentary Papers, which by that date totalled
only 110 volumes. By mid-century, the number of volumes of a single
session exceeded this number, with Command Papers
proportionately increasing.
Until the Session of 1836, Parliamentary Papers
were not sold to the public. Prior to 1801, reports, estimates,
etc. were published only in the Journals of the House of
Lords and/or House of Commons. After several abortive efforts t
o find a practical solution to the problem of publication, a Select
Committee of the House of Lords, early in 1834, resolved that it
would be "...generally convenient and might lead to a further saving
of the public money", if the Parliamentary Printers w ere permitted
to accept orders from booksellers for copies of the Papers
printed for the use of the House. A Second Report (1835) by this
same Committee recommended: "That the Reports and Parliamentary
Papers printed for the use of t he House should be rendered
accessible to the public by purchase, at the lowest possible price
at which they can be furnished..." The final details with regards
to printing and prices were settled in May 1837, with which public
circulation of Parliame ntary Papers was finally established
(Jones, 1904, pp. v-vii).
Arctic Papers
The Arctic Papers located to date by the writer number
47, all of which have been referred in the bibliography to the Sessional
Papers of the House of Commons. Command Papers form only
30 per cent of the numerical tot al, but comprise 79 per cent of
the 4,300-page bulk of all Arctic Papers.
Despite the reverence in which these papers are held by some authorities,
there is at least one exception amongst them. Lieut. Commander R.T.
Gould, R.N., has written of the Arctic Blue Books
as follows: "They are a most singular co llection. A complete set
/i.e., of the Arctic Blue Books/ would rival
in bulk the four Shakespeare Folios, and contain even more words,
of all kinds, than the minutes of the Royal Oak court-martial
(happily left unprint ed). Nothing like selection appears to have
been attempted --- every scrap of paper that found its way into
official channels, from the most valuable hydrographic and other
information down to begging letters and mediumistic ravings, was
sure to be cast up in one of these Blue Books, in
an order partly chronological, largely fortuitous, and, as a whole,
defying analysis. In many cases the Blue Books must
now be regarded as the best procurable authorities, the original
documen ts from which they were compiled being no longer extant
--- but they are by no means easy reading, and probably never were,
even in their heyday, widely read" (Gould, 1928, p. 87).
Gould's opinion may be regarded as essentially correct; examples
substantiating his statements are not difficult to find. That the
Arctic Papers have continued to "defy analysis" for
almost a century is a challenge which does us little cred it, since
until quite recently, they have been the basic source of knowledge
of broad areas in the Canadian Arctic.
These papers depended for their content upon the safe transmission
of explorers' journals and reports from the Arctic to London by
tenuously stretched nineteenth century lines of communication. The
activities of a single expedition occasionally extended through
several sessions of Parliament. Blue Books were hurriedly
compiled for early presentation of the latest information on a subject
of burning public interest to an avid reading public, and it is
not surprising that they contain numero us errors, and much duplication.
There are many instances where a letter or report has been printed
twice, and at least one instance where one was printed three times.
The Arctic Papers may be grouped into four main sections:
- 1818 Northwest Passage and North Pole Rewards
(1 paper)
- 1833-4 Captain John Ross's expedition
(3 papers)
- 1846-58 Captain Sir John Franklin's expedition, and the subsequent
search expeditions
(35 papers)
- 1875-8 Captain Sir George Nares's expedition
(8 papers)
(1) Northwest Passage and North Pole
Rewards (1818)
The payment of cash rewards to encourage the solution of certain national
problems of an exploratory or scientific nature was a principle established
early in the eighteenth century, and became applied directly to Arctic
problems by 1745. The single 9-pa ge paper given here was designed
to excite interest in improved methods of establishing longitude at
sea, as well as to renew national interest at the conclusion of the
Napoleonic wars in the problems of the Northwest Passage, and of the
North Pole.
- 1818
- A Bill for more effectually discovering the Longitude at Sea,
and encouraging Attempts to find a Northern Passage between
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and to approach
the Northern Pole. Ordered, by The House
of Commons, to be Printed, 9 March
1818.
(9 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Bills Public, 1818, No. 99, Vol. I, pp. 151-9.
(2) Papers relating to the expedition
of Captain John Ross
(1833-4)
The three papers issued in 1833-4 total only 52 pages and concern
the expedition of Ross into Prince Regent Inlet and his remuneration
for this service. Since the arrangements concerning the public distribution
of Parliamentary Papers were not compl eted until 1837, and since
these three papers antecede this date, they are seldom seen separated
from the bound volumes of Sessional Papers.
- 1833
- Estimates, &c. for Miscellaneous Services; for the Year ending
31 March 1834. Item 13. An Estimate of the Sum proposed to be
granted in the year 1833, as a Contribution from the Public in
aid of a Voyage of Discovery to the Polar Regions.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 3 April 1833.
(10 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Estimates and Accounts, 1833, No. 168, Vol.
XXIV, pp. 451-60.
- 1834a
- Report from Select Committee on the Expedition to the Arctic
Seas, commanded by Captain John Ross, R.N.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 28 April 1834.
(40 pp., chart). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Reports from Committees, 1834,
No. 250, Vol. XVIII, pp. 43-86.
- 1834b
- Captain Ross. An Estimate of the Sum required to enable His
Majesty to make a Grant to Captain Ross.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to
be Printed, 18 July 1834.
(2 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Estimates and Accounts, 1834, No. 493, Vol.
XLII,
pp. 457-8.
(3) Papers relating to the expedition
of Captain Sir John Franklin (1846-58)
The papers in this group number 35, and form the most
voluminous of the three sections, totaling 2979 pages. Beginning
with a copy of Franklin's sailing orders, they also include the
instructions given to James Clark Ross, initiating the search. They
then proceed through a long series of instructions, proceedings,
and journals of Anderson, Austin, Belcher, Collinson, De Haven,
Frederick, Hooper, Inglefield, Kane, Kellett, Kennedy, Maguire,
M'Clure, M'Cormick, Moore, Penny, Pullen, Rae, Richards on, James
Clark Ross, John Ross, Saunders, Simpson, Stewart, Trollope, and
others: it is a roll call of the Franklin Searchers, complete but
for the records of the man who solved the problem that all concentrated
upon --- M'Clintock, whose successful voya ge in the Fox in
1858-9, occurred after the British Admiralty had abandoned the search.
In addition, there are proceedings of boards of enquiries, and
the expression of private opinions concerning the Franklin problem,
as one man's mind after another was dredged for new proposed plans
of search. Interspersed throughout, are copious ext racts of correspondence
between various people and agencies engaged on the problem. Individual
papers are of great variety of size and of subject. One deals with
the "...Adjudication of £10,000 as a Reward for ascertaining
the Fate of the Crews of Her Majesty's Ships Erebus and Terror;"
another, investigating the possibility of food poisoning of Franklin
and his men, mentions "the state of the Salt Provisions issued to
Her Majesty's Ships on the West India Station
during the Year 1851". From it all, came not the answer to the question
of Franklin's fate, but the northward advance of our knowledge of
the lands fringing the icy seas of the continent, the accomplishment
of the Northwest Passage, and the recorded obs ervations of details
of the coasts which, in most cases, have not been improved upon
since. This series of papers dealing with the Franklin Search forms
the richest source of written material extant concerning the Canadian
Arctic Archipelago, and remains in the same hopelessly disarranged
condition in which it was bequeathed to us a century ago.
- 1846
- Navy Estimates, for the year 1846-47. No. 1, Wages to Seamen
and Marines, (A) Explanatory Statement (pp. 5-7).
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed,
13 February 1846.
(62 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and papers (2), Estimates, 1846,
No. 51,
Vol. XXVI, pp. 183-246.
- 1848a
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Address of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 21 March 1848; -- for,
"Copies of Instructions to Captain Sir John Franklin,
R.N.:, in reference to the Arctic Expedition of 1845:"
"And, Copies or Extracts of any Proceedings and Correspondence
of the Admiralty in reference to Arctic Expeditions, from 1845
to the present Time, together with Copies of Charts illustrating
the same."
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 13 April 1848.
(84 pp., 5 charts). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1847-48,
No. 264,
Vol. XLI, pp. 163-256.
- 1848b
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Address of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 26 May 1848; -- for,
A "Copy of the Orders from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
under which Captain Sir James Clark Ross,
R.N., has proceeded on an Expedition in search of Captain Sir
John Franklin, R.N."
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 7 June 1848.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1847-48, No. 386, Vol.
XLI,
pp. 257-60.
- 1849a
- Arctic Expedition (North Star). Expense of the Estimates
of the Equipment of Her Majesty's Ship North Star; and
Copy of Minute of the Board of Admiralty respecting the Equipment
of the North Star, for the purpose of taking out
a Supply of Provisions, &c. for the Crews of Her Majesty's Ships
Investigator and Enterprise, employed on an expedition
to the Arctic Regions.
(Presented to parliament by Her
Majesty's Command.)
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 23 March 1849.
(2 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and papers, 1849, No. 152, Vol. XXXI,
pp. 203-4.
- 1849b
- Arctic Expeditions. Return to an Order of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 15 March 1849; -- for,
Extracts "of any Proceedings or Correspondence of the Admiralty,
in reference to the Arctic Expeditions. -- (In continuation
of Parliamentary Papers, Nos. 264
and 386, of Session 1848, up to
the present Time.)"
Admiralty, 27 March 1849, J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 30 March 1849.
(28 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1849, No. 188, Vol. XXXII,
pp. 177-204.
- 1849c
- Arctic Expeditions. Further Return to an Order of the Honourable
The House of Commons, dated 15 March 1849: -- for,
Copies or Extracts "of any Proceedings or Correspondence of the
Admiralty, in reference to the Arctic Expeditions. -- (In
continuation of Parliamentary Papers,
Nos. 264 and 386 of Session 1848, up
to the present time)"
Return of the Opinions of the most experienced Officers connected
with the Arctic Expeditions, on the Necessity of sending a Ship
to the Entrance of Lancaster Sound, with Supplies
for Sir James Ross's Exp edition; and their joint
Opinion as to certain Measures proposed to be adopted.
Admiralty, 19 April 1849, T. Crofton Croker, For the Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 20 April 1849.
(12 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1849. No. 188-II, Vol.
XXXII, pp. 205-16.
- 1849d
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Address of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 11 June 1849: -- for,
"Copy of any Communication from Her Majesty's Consul at Washington
to her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
in reference to Measures adopted by the Government of the United
States, on the subject of the Expedition sent forth by this country,
under Command of Sir John Franklin, to the Arctic
Seas."
Correspondence with Her Majesty's Charge´ d'Affaires at Washington,
respecting the Intention of the Government of the United States
to send Two Ships of War in Search of
Sir John Franklin's Expedition to the Arctic Seas.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 13 June 1849.
(2 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1849, No. 387, Vol. XXXII,
pp. 217-8.
- 1849e
- Arctic Expedition. Copy of a Report from Sir John Richardson,
dated Fort Confidence, Great Bear
Lake, 16th September 1848, reporting his Proceedings in
Search of Sir John Franklin's Expedition.
(Presented to Parliament by Her
Majesty's Command)
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 12 July 1849.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and papers, 1849, No. 497, Vol. XXXII,
pp. 219-22.
- 1850a
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Order of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 5 February 1850; -- for,
Copies "of any Reports or Statements from the Officers employed
in the Arctic Expeditions, or from any other Persons, which have
been laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, in
respect to the Resumption of the Search for Sir John Franklin's
Expedition:"
"Of any Plan or Plans of Search, whether by Ships or Boats, up
to the present Date:"
"Copy or Extracts from any Correspondence or Proceedings of the
Board of Admiralty, in relation to the Arctic Expeditions (since
the Date of the last Return to this House in 1849):"
"Copies of the Orders issued by the Board of Admiralty to the
Captains Collinson, Kellett and Moore, and
to Lieutenant Pullen; and also, Copy of the Instructions
given to Dr. Rae, through the Hudso n's Bay
Company:"
"Of any Reports made by any Officer or Officers employed in the
late Expeditions, and addressed to the Board of Admiralty:"
"And, of the latest Chart of the Polar Sea compiled
by Order of the Board of Admiralty -- (in continuation of Parliamentary
Papers, Nos. 264 and 386, of Session 1848, and of Nos. 188 and
387, of Session 1849)."
Admiralty, 4 March 1850. J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 5 March 1850.
(vi Ý 157 pp., sketch, 2 charts). Great Britain, Parliament,
Sessional Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and
Papers, 1850, No. 107, Vol. XXXV, pp. 175-342.
- 1850b
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Order of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 12 April 1850; -- for,
An Account "of the Charge for the Purchase, Repair, and Outfit
of the Vessels now fitting for the Arctic Expedition".
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 23 May 1850.
(2pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1850, No. 368, Vol. XXXV,
pp. 343-4.
- 1850c
- Arctic Expeditions. Return to an Address of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 10 May 1850; -- for,
"Copies of Instructions from the Admiralty to Captain Austin,
R.N., C.B., and to any other Officers in Her Majesty's Service
engaged in Arctic Expeditions, since the Date of the last Parliamentary
Return."
Admiralty, 28 May 1850. J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 31 May 1850.
(6 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Reports and Papers, 1850, No. 397, Vol. XXV,
pp. 345-50.
- 1851a
- Arctic Expeditions. Return to an Address of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 7 February 1851; -- for,
"Copy or Extracts from any Correspondence or Proceedings of the
Board of Admiralty, in relation to the Arctic Expeditions, including
those more recently sent forth in resumption of the Search for
that under the Command of Sir John Franklin:"
"Copies of any Instructions from the Admiralty to any Officers
in Her Majesty's Service, engaged in Arctic Expeditions, since
the Date of the last Parliamentary Return on the said subject
(in continuation of Parliamentary papers, No. 1 07 and No. 397
of Session 1850):"
"And, Copy or Extracts from any Correspondence or Communications
from the Government of the United States, or from Her Majesty's
Minister at Washington, in relation to any Search to be
made on the part of the United States, or f rom its Territory,
for the Expedition under Sir John Franklin."
Admiralty, 7 March 1851, J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 7 March 1851.
(iv Ý 106 pp., 2 charts). Great Britain, Parliament,
Sessional Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and
Papers, 1851, No. 97, Vol. XXXIII, pp. 195-308.
- 1852a
- Arctic Expeditions. Report of the Committee Appointed by the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to Inquire into and Report
on the Recent Arctic Expeditions in Search of Sir John
Franklin, together with the Mi nutes of Evidence taken
before the Committee, and Papers connected with the Subject.
Presented to Both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. London. Printed by George Edward Eyre and William
Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Ex cellent Majesty.
For Her Majesty's Stationery Office: 1852.
(lix Ý 199 pp., 2 sketches, 2 charts). Great Britain,
Parliament, Sessional Papers, House of Commons,
Accounts and Papers, 1852, Vol. L, No. /1435/, pp. 1-268.
- 1852b
- Additional Papers Relative to the Arctic Expedition under the
Orders of Captain Austin and Mr. William Penny.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. London: Printed by George Edward Eyre and William
Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Exc ellent Majesty.
For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1852.
(iii 368pp., 66 sketches, 28 charts). Great Britain, Parliament,
Sessional Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and
Papers, 1852, Vol. L, No. /1436/, pp. 269-668.
- 1852c
- Arctic Expedition. Further Correspondence and Proceedings connected
with the Arctic Expedition.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament of Command of Her
Majesty. London: Printed by George Edward Eyre and William
Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Exce llent Majesty.
For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1852.
(216 pp., 9 sketches, 4 charts). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and papers, 1852, Vol.
L, No. /1449/, pp. 669-890.
- 1852d
- Copy of an Account of the Naval Receipt and Expenditure, for
the year ended the 31st March 1851.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed,
3 February 1852.
(6 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852, No. 14, Vol. XXX,
pp. 191-6.
- 1852e
- Preserved Meats (Navy). Return to an Order of the Honourable
The House of Commons, dated 5 February 1852; -- for,
Returns "showing the Date and Terms of all Contracts for Preserved
Meat for the Use of Her Majesty's Navy with Goldner; also
the Quantities issued since the commencement of the above Contracts;
specifying the Quantities fit for Use, as well as the Quantities
either Condemned or returned into Store as unfit for use, from
any of Her Majesty's Stores or Ships, whether at Home or Abroad:
"Complaints when first made; and whether, after such Complaints,
further Contracts were entered into with the same Parties:"
"Whether these Meats were issued to the Arctic Voyagers:"
"Whether Captain Austin's Stores were examined and found
bad; and if so, were they served from Goldner's Contract:"
"Of the Quantity of Cases, if any, the Contractor has been allowed
to withdraw from her Majesty's Stores after having supplied the
same, stating how long such Cases had been in Store:"
"Of Complaints, if any, made of the state of the Salt Provisions
issued to Her Majesty's Ships on the West India
Station during the Year 1851; showing the Extra Quantity issued
to make up the Regulated Allowance, and the Quantities Condemned
or Sold on Her Majesty's account:"
"And the Contract Prices of Beef and Pork for the Years 1848,
1849, 1850, and 1851."
Admiralty, 12 February 1852. J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk,
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed,
13 February 1852.
(6 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and papers, 1852, No. 59, Vol. XXX,
pp. 317-22.
- 1852f
- Arctic Expeditions. Return to an Address of the Honourable,
The House of Commons, dated 20 February 1852; -- for,
"Papers in connection with the late Arctic Expeditions, or with
any which may be in preparation. -- (In continuation of the Papers
presented to The House on the 7th March 1851, and on the
3rd February 1852.)"
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 27 February 1852.
(18 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852, No. 115, Vol. L,
pp. 891-908.
- 1852g
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Order of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 6 April 1852; -- for,
Copy "of the Report of Dr. Rae, of the Proceedings of the
Arctic Searching Expedition under his Command, since the 10th
day of June last, with a Sketch of his Route."
Admiralty, 6 April 1852, J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 6 April 1852.
(12 pp., chart). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852,
No. 248, Vol. L,
pp. 909-22.
- 1852h
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Order of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 4 May 1852; -- for,
A Return "of the Sailing Orders given to Sir Edward Belcher
relating to the Arctic Expedition."
Admiralty, 6 May 1852. J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 7 May 1852.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852, No. 317, Vol. L,
pp. 935-8.
1852j Arctic Expedition. Return to an Order of the Honourable
The House of Commons, dated 6 April 1852; -- for,
A Copy "of any further Correspondence which has been transmitted
to the Admiralty between Admiral Sir John Ross
and the Danish Inspector-General, touching the Fate of the Expedition
under Sir John Franklin."
Admiralty, 18 May 1852. J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 21 May 1852.
(12 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852, No. 390, Vol. L,
pp. 923-34.
- 1852k
- Vessels in the North Atlantic. Return to an Address of the Honourable
The House of Commons, dated 4 June 1852; -- for,
"Copies of Communications between the Admiralty and any Public
Authorities at Home and Abroad, in reference to certain Vessels
observed on an Iceberg in the North Atlantic in
1851, and supposed to have been Abandoned."
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 22 June 1852.
(40 pp. , 2 sketches, chart). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852,
No. 501, Vol. L, pp. 939-82.
- 1852m
- Arctic Expeditions. Return to an Address of the Honourable The
House of Commons, date 19 November 1852; -- for,
"Copies of any Correspondence received at the Admiralty from Sir
Edward Belcher's Squadron, detailing the Proceedings
thereof since leaving Greenhithe, and from any other of
the Arctic Expeditions since the Dates o f the last Returns from
the same respectively:"
"Of any Communications received at the Admiralty from Mr. Kennedy,
of the Prince Albert Discovery Ship:"
"Of Correspondence from Commander Inglefield, of the Screw
Vessel Isabel, reporting his Discoveries and Proceedings
in the Polar Sea:"
"Of any Plans or Suggestions of Search for Rear-Admiral Sir John
Franklin, and the Ships and Crews of his Expedition:"
"And, of any further Correspondence on the subject of the Arctic
Regions, since the last laid before this House in the late Session
(in continuation of Arctic Papers, Session 1852)."
Admiralty, 16 December 1852. J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed,
20 December 1852.
(iv Ý 88 pp., 3 charts). Great Britain, Parliament,
Sessional Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and
Papers, 1852-53, No. 82,
Vol. LX, pp. 125-224.
- 1853a
- Ship Rattlesnake. Return to an Order of the Honourable
The House of Commons, dated 27 April 1853; -- for,
Copies of Extracts "of any Minutes or other Documents connected
with the Selection by the late Board of Admiralty of the Ship
Rattlesnake, in preference to a Steamer, for the purpose
of endeavouring to communicate with the Pl over:"
"And, Copies of Instructions given by the Board of Admiralty to
the Captain of the Rattlesnake."
Admiralty, 3 May 1853. J.H. Hay, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 4 May 1853.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852-53, No. 444, Vol.
LX,
pp. 75-8.
- 1853b
- Arctic Regions. Return to an Order of the Honourable The House
of Commons, dated 1 August 1853; -- for,
Copies "of the Sailing Orders and Instructions to Commander Inglefield,
of Her Majesty's Ship Phoenix, employed in the Arctic Regions;"
"Of the Instructions to Mr. Kennedy, in command of the
Isabel, which vessel is also employed in the Arctic Regions:"
"Of any Orders and Instructions given to Captain Collinson,
of the Enterprise, of a later date that the 15th day of
January 1850:"
"And, of any Reports received from Captain Collinson of
a later date than the 9th day of July 1851."
Admiralty, 19 August 1853. John Jones Dyer, Acting Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 20 August 1853.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1852-53, No. 1013, Vol.
LX,
pp. 121-4.
- 1854a
- Papers Relative to the Recent Arctic Expeditions in Search
of Sir John Franklin and the Crews of H.M.S. Erebus and
Terror.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. London: Printed by George Edward Eyre and William
Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Exc ellent Majesty.
For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1854.
(225 pp., 26 sketches, 5 charts). Great Britain, Parliament,
Sessional Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and
Papers, 1854, No. /1725/, Vol. XLII, pp. 101-338.
- 1854b
- Arctic Expeditions. Return to an Address of the Honourable
The House of Commons, dated 17 March 1854; -- for,
"Copy of Letter addressed by Lady Franklin to the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated the 24th day of February
1854, in reference to their Lordships' Announcement in the London
Gazette of the 20th day of January 1854, re specting the Officers
and Crews of Her Majesty's Ships Erebus and Terror;
and of a Copy of such Notice."
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 24 March 1854.
(14 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1854, No. 129, Vol. XLII,
pp.339-52.
- 1854c
- Arctic Expedition. Return to an Order of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 4 April, 1854, -- for,
Copies "of any Instructions which have either been Issued, or
hereafter may be Issued, during the present Season, to the Commanders
of Her Majesty's Ships now engaged in the Arctic Regions in the
Search for Sir John Franklin' s Expedition."
Admiralty, 7 April 1854. John Jones Dyer, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 7 April 1854.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1854, No. 171, Vol. XLII,
pp. 353-6.
- 1854d
- Arctic Expedition. Instructions from the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty for the Arctic Expedition.
(Presented to Parliament by Her
Majesty's Command.)
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 28 April 1854.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1854, No. 200, Vol. XLII,
pp. 357-60.
- 1855a
- Further Papers relative to the recent Arctic Expeditions in
search of Sir John Franklin and the Crews of H.M.S. Erebus
and Terror.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. January 1855. London: Printed by George
Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode, Printers t o the Queen's
Most Excellent Majesty. For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1855.
(iv Ý 958 pp., 74 sketches, 37 charts). Great Britain,
Parliament, Sessional Papers, House of Commons,
Accounts and Papers,
1854-55, No. /1898/, Vol. XXXV, pp. 1-1010.
- 1855b
- Estimates &c. Civil Services, for the Year ending 31 March,
1856. Item 43 -- Arctic Discoverers (Rewards). Item 44 -- Monument
to Sir John Franklin.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 27 March 1855.
(46 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1854-55, No. 140-VII,
Vol. XXXI, pp. 619-66.
- 1855c
- Arctic Expeditions. Return to an Order of the Honourable The
House of Commons, dated 29 March 1855, -- for,
A Return "of the Cost of the Further Papers relative to the recent
Arctic Expeditions, presented to both Houses of Parliament by
Command of Her Majesty in January 1855; distinguishing under each
head the Expense of Paper, Printing, Lit hographing of Charts
and Illustrations, and other Expenses, and of the Number of Copies
Printed, and Distribution of the Same."
Her Majesty's Stationery Office 13 April 1855. J.R. McCulloch,
Comptroller.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 18 April 1855.
(2 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1854-55, No. 181, Vol.
XLIV,
pp. 189-90.
- 1855d
- Report from the Select Committee on Arctic Expedition; together
with the Proceedings of the Committee, Minutes of Evidence, and
Appendix.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 20 July 1855.
(xx Ý 38 pp., chart). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Reports from Committees, 1854-55,
No. 409, Vol. VII, pp. 1-60.
- 1856
- Further Papers Relative to the Recent Arctic Expeditions in
Search of Sir J. Franklin, and the Crews of Her Majesty's Ships
Erebus and Terror; including the Reports of Dr.
Kane and Messrs. Anderson and Stewart . And Correspondence relative
to the Adjudication of £10,000 as a Reward for ascertaining
the Fate of the Crews of Her Majesty's Ships Erebus and
Terror. (In continuation of Papers
present ed in September 1854-5).
Presented to The House of Commons,
1856. London: Printed by Harrison and Sons.
(vi Ý 96 pp., 2 charts). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1856, No.
/2124/,
Vol. XLI, pp. 111-216.
- 1858
- Correspondence respecting H.M.S. Resolute, and the Arctic
Expedition.
Presented to The House of Commons
by Command of Her Majesty,
in pursuance of their Address
dated May 21, 1858. London: Printed by Harrison
and Sons.
(ii Ý 40 pp., chart). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1857-58,
No. /2416/, Vol. LX, pp. 11-52.
(4) Papers relating to the expedition
of Captain Sir George Nares (1875-8)
The fourth and last section into which this series of Arctic Papers
divides itself is concerned with the expedition led by Sir George
S. Nares into northeastern Ellesmere Island in 1875-6. Here again
may be found details of the preparations made to ensure the success
of the venture, the cost of which approached £100,000. The Journals
and Proceedings (1877a) record, amongst other things, Markham's effort
towards the pole. Other papers deal in great detail with the health
of both men and dogs, particular attention having been paid to the
outbreak of scurvy with which the expedition was attacked following
its winter in the field. The 8 papers comprising this section total
1,280 pages.
- 1875a
- Arctic Expedition. Papers and Correspondence relating to the
Equipment and fitting out of the Arctic Expedition of 1875, including
Report of the Admiralty Arctic Committee.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. London: Printed by George Edward Eyre and William
Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Ex cellent Majesty.
For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1875.
(40 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1875, No. /C.-1153./,
Vol. XLV, pp. 523-62.
- 1875b
- Chart to Accompany Papers and Correspondence Relating to the
Equipment and Fitting out of the Arctic Expedition of 1875.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. London: Printed by George Edward Eyre and William
Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Ex cellent Majesty.
For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1875.
(2 pp. Ý chart). Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional
Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1875,
No. /C.-1153.-I/,
Vol. XLV, pp. 563-6.
- 1875c
- Arctic Expedition. Supplementary Estimate of Her Majesty's Navy,
for the Year 1874-75. An Estimate of the Sum required to defray
the Charges on account of the Arctic Expedition which shall come
in course of Payment in the Y ear ending the 31st March 1875.
(Presented to Parliament by Her
Majesty's Command).
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed,
15 February 1875.
(4 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1875, No. 44, Vol. XLV,
pp. 231-4.
- 1876
- Arctic Expedition. Further Papers and Correspondence in Continuation
of Parliamentary Paper /C.-1153./ of 1875.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. Admiralty, July 1876. London: Printed by George
Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's
Most Excellent Majesty. For Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1876.
(25 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1876, No. /C.-1560./,
Vol. XLV,
pp. 463-88.
- 1877a
- Arctic Expedition, 1875-6. Journals and Proceedings of the
Arctic Expedition, 1875-6, under the Command of
Captain Sir George S. Nares, R.N., K.C.B. /In continuation of
Parliamentary Papers, C 1153 of 1875, and C 1560 of 1876./
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty, 1877. London: Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery
Office, by Harrison & Sons, Printers in Ordin ary to Her Majesty,
St. Martin's Lane.
(vii Ý 484 pp., 44 illustrations, 18 charts). Great
Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers, House of
Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1877, No. /C.-1636./, Vol. LVI,
pp. 1-556.
- 1877b
- Report of the Committee appointed by the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty to enquire into
The Causes of the Outbreak of Scurvy in the recent Arctic Expedition;
The adequacy of the provision made by the Admiralty in the way
of Food, Medicine, and Medical Comforts; and
The propriety of the Orders given by the Commander of the Expedition
for provisioning the Sledge Parties.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty, 1877. London: Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery
Office, by Harrison & Sons, Printers in Ordin ary to Her Majesty,
St. Martin's Lane.
(lv Ý 505 pp., 9 illustrations). Great Britain, Parliament,
Sessional Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and
Papers, 1877,
No. /C.-1722./, Vol. LVI, pp. 557-1136.
- 1877c
- Arctic Expedition (Scurvy). Return to an Order of the Honourable
The House of Commons, dated 7 June 1877; for,
Copy "of the Letter addressed by the Admiralty to Captain Sir
Georges S. Nares, R.N., K.C.B., on the subject
of the outbreak of Scurvy in the Arctic Expedition, 1875-6."
Admiralty, 7 June 1877. Thos. Wolley, Chief Clerk.
Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be
Printed, 7 June 1877.
(2 pp.) Great Britain, Parliament, Sessional Papers,
House of Commons, Accounts and Papers, 1877, No. 246, Vol. LVI,
pp. 1137-8.
- 1878
- Arctic Expedition. Results derived from the Arctic Expedition,
1875-76.
I. - Physical Observations by Captain Sir George Nares, R.N.,
and Captain Feilden, &c.
II. - Medical Report on the Eskimo Dog Disease, by Fleet Surgeon
B. Ninnis, M.D.
Presented to both Houses of
Parliament by Command of Her
Majesty. London: Printed by George Edward Eyre and William
Spottiswoode, Printers to the Queen's Most Exc ellent Majesty.
For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1878.
(156 pp., 8 coloured ills., 7 graphs). Great Britain, Parliament,
Sessional Papers, House of Commons, Accounts and
Papers, 1878,
No. /C.-2176./, Vol. LII, pp. 615-800.
The above bibliography of 47 items has been compiled over the past
several years largely from searches made in the following libraries,
through the kind courtesies of those whose names are given in parentheses:
American Geographical Society Library, New York, N.Y.
(Miss Nordis Felland)
Baker Library, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.
(Mr. Richard W. Morin)
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
(Miss Marie Tremaine)
New York Public Library, New York, N.Y.
(Mr. F.X. Grondin)
Stefansson Library, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.
(Dr. Vilhjalmur Stefansson)
Through the kindness of Mr. T.E. Monette, all items have been checked
against the Sessional Papers of the British House of
Commons in the Library of Parliament, Ottawa. The Sessional
Papers of the House of Lords were not accessible at any of
the libraries visited, so that it has been possible to check only
a few of the items given here against corresponding publications by
the House of Lords.
The assistance provided by Mr. John F. Phillips, of Her Majesty's
Stationery Office, London, England, is also gratefully acknowledged.
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