Arctic Blue Books - British Parliamentary Papers Abstract, 1851a

1851a. GREAT BRITAIN. (45226)

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 . . . Parliamentary papers no. 107 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 from 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, 106 p., 2 fold. maps. (Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Sessional papers, Accounts and papers, 1851, v. 33, no. 97)

Contains reports of expeditions in 1849-50 to the Canadian Eastern Arctic commanded by Capt. H. T. Austin (Resolute, Assistance, Pioneer and Intrepid); Lt. E. J. DeHaven, USN. (Advance and Rescue); .Cmdr. Charles C. Forsyth (Prince Albert); Capt. Wm. Penny (Lady Franklin and Sophia); Capt. John Ross (Felix); and Capt. James Saunders (North Star); also reports of expeditions to the Western Arctic commanded by Capt Richard Collinson (Enterprise), Capt Henry Kellett (Herald), Cmdr. T. E. L. Moore (Plover), Lt. W. J. S. Pullen and Dr. John Rae (boat expeditions); also proposals for search expeditions presented by Rear-Adm. J. N. Tayler, and W. P. Snow.

1. Eastern Arctic expeditions

For Capt. H. T. Austin's group, three years' supplies are listed and progress reports (1850) given for the Resolute (Austin) and the Assistance (Ommanney) and their tenders (p. 89-96).

For Capt. E. J. DeHaven's expedition sponsored by Henry Grinnell, Congress resolution and official instructions are given (p. 1-4).

Cmdr. Charles C. Forsyth's reports on the voyage of Prince Albert (1850) to Lancaster Sound and Prince Regent Inlet (p. 68-70) with report by Ommanney of Franklin relics found Aug. 1850 at Cape Riley, followed by comments of Beechey, Parry, Richardson, Dr. Andrew Clark (microscopic examination), Capt. Peter Richards, and Col. Edward Sabine (p. 70-79).

Capt. Wm. Penny gives progress reports (1850) of voyage to Lancaster Sound (p. 80-83).

Capt. John Ross gives a progress report to the Hudson's Bay Co. on his voyage (1850) to Lancaster Sound, and investigation of native reports of murder of crews of Erebus and Terror ( p. 83-88) .

Capt. James Saunders recounts the voyage of the supply ship North Star up Baffin Bay to Wolstenholme Sound in 1849, with comment on Eskimos, scurvy, spring break-out, etc. (p. 56-60); and the voyage (1850) across Baffin Bay to Possession Bay, and through Lancaster Sound to Whaler Point and Prince Regent Inlet (p. 60-68), with a depot laid at Wollaston Islands, to supply 100 men for one year (articles listed).

2. Western Arctic expeditions

Capt. Richard Collinson's report on the voyage of the Enterprise and Capt. Robt. M'Clure's on the Investigator to Kotzebue Sound (p. 5-16), and Arbuthnot's journal of ice conditions along the northwest coast of Alaska, Aug. 16-29 (p. 16-18).

Capt. Henry Kellett's narrative of the voyage of the Herald 1849-50, by way of Kamchatka through Bering Strait to Kotzebue Sound, coasting to Cape Lisburne (p. 19-21), advice to Collinson on route through Bering Strait and eastward (p. 25-27), with comments on natives, ice conditions, harbors, etc.

Cmdr. T. E. L. Moore's narrative of voyage of the Plover 1849-50, with remarks on natives around Kotzebue Sound, spring break-up of ice in the Sound, scurvy and anti-scorbutic diet, depots laid (p. 28-32); instructions from Kellett and a boat expedition in July-Aug. 1850 from Icy Cape to Point Barrow (p. 34-40); medical survey of the Plover (p. 41-42); instructions from Collinson (p. 42).

Lt. W. J. S. Pullen's boat expedition eastward along the north coast of Alaska: supplies, etc., progress June-July 1850 (p. 51-56).

Dr. John Rae's summer 1849 boat expedition to Dolphin and Union Strait from Fort Confidence (Great Bear Lake) by way of the Dease, Kendall and Coppermine Rivers (p. 45-50), with fishing at Bloody Falls; food supplies, Hudson's Bay Co. arrangements and criticism of proposed expedition (p. 50-52).

3. Franklin Search proposals

Presented by Rear-Adm. J. N. Tayler (p. 96-99), and W. P. Snow (p. 99-104).

Maps: Baffin Bay with Davis and Barrow Straits, by Ross and Parry, 1818-20, and discoveries of Parry in 1822-23, Lyon in 1824, and Rae in 1847 (at p. 66).

Barrow Strait, Prince Regent Inlet &c. with tracks of Prince Albert through Lancaster Sound, and into Prince Regent Inlet (at p. 72).

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