One of two Franklin Expedition ships found

[spaminator]

One of two Franklin Expedition ships found
QMI Agency
First posted: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 10:28 AM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 10:41 AM EDT
OTTAWA — One of two ships from the Franklin Expedition, lost in 1846, has been found in the Arctic, the prime minister says.
"Although we do not know yet whether the discovery is Her Majesty's Ship (HMS) Erebus or HMS Terror, we do have enough information to confirm its authenticity," Harper said Tuesday morning.
The find was confirmed Sunday using a Parks Canada remotely operated underwater vehicle during the Victoria Strait Expedition.
Harper congratulated those involved in searching for the ships over the past several years.
"This is truly a historic moment for Canada. Franklin's ships are an important part of Canadian history given that his expeditions, which took place nearly 200 years ago, laid the foundations of Canada's Arctic sovereignty," Harper said in a statement.
"Finding the first vessel will no doubt provide the momentum — or wind in our sails — necessary to locate its sister ship and find out even more about what happened to the Franklin Expedition's crew."
The news comes a day after Nunavut's government said an archaeology team found an iron fitting "certainly from one of the Franklin shipwrecks" on Sept. 1.
A wooden object, possibly a plug for a deck hawse — the iron pipe through which the ship's chain cable would descend into the chain locker below — was also discovered, the press release says.
"This discovery is consistent with, and supports, 19th century Inuit oral testimony describing a shipwreck to the south of King William Island," the Nunavut release says.
In 1845, Sir John Franklin set sail from Britain on the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror with a crew of 128 men. They were hunting for the Northwest Passage, an Arctic shipping route that would open up new trading options for Europe.
The ships and the crew never returned. Over the years, traces have been found of the explorers — a few graves and bodies, empty meat tins, personal papers and instruments from the vessels. But no ships and no sign of Franklin, except for an official record saying he died in June 1847.
"Reward for finding Franklin Expedition" by William Alexander Baillie Hamilton (1803-1881). (Library and Archives Canada. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)
A portrait of John Franklin from the Dibner Library Portrait Collection. (Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

One of two Franklin Expedition ships found | Canada | News | Toronto Sun

 

[taxslave]

This was just on Global News. It would be cool to find a more or less intact ship.

 

[lone wolf]

Oh great! Now the Brits will be making territorial claims

 

[damngrumpy]

Truly a good find I hope more clues provide a brighter light our history
This has been a mystery for so long. It could well open a well of stories
from decedents of those who ventured into an unknown world

 

[Nuggler]

Well, the ships sank ? , the crew froze/starved/, now one ship is found.

Happens ever day .

Give Harpo a snorkel and let him go and make sure.

Just don't harpoon a whale by mistake

 

[EagleSmack]

I've had an interest in the Franklin Expedition for years. What a great discovery.

I just finished reading a novel about it. It was a little out there but it was still pretty good.

Beechey Island is another mysterious place with regards to the expedition.

Complete desolation.

 

[spaminator]

Iron fitting that 'certainly' belonged to Franklin Expedition discovered
QMI Agency
First posted: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 08:53 AM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 09:04 AM EDT
An iron fitting belonging to one of the ships involved with the Franklin Expedition has been recovered.
In a release, Nunavut's government said the iron fitting "is certainly from one of the Franklin shipwrecks" and this is "the first discovery of its kind in the area in modern times."
The fitting, identified as part of a boat-launching davit which bears two broad arrows, was found by an archaeology team Sept. 1 on an island in the southern search area, the government said in a release.
"A wooden object, possibly a plug for a deck hawse, the iron pipe through which the ship's chain cable would descend into the chain locker below, was also discovered," the release said.
In 1845, Sir John Franklin set sail from Britain on the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror with a crew of 128 men. They were hunting for the Northwest Passage, a shipping route that would open up a new trading options for Europe.
The ships and the crew never returned. Over the years, traces have been found of the explorers - a few graves and bodies, empty meat tins, personal papers and instruments from the vessels. But no ships and no sign of Franklin, except for an official record saying he'd died in June 1847.
Last month, a naval expedition travelled through the Northwest Passage in search of the doomed Franklin ships.
"This discovery is consistent with, and supports, 19th century Inuit oral testimony describing a shipwreck to the south of King William Island," the Nunavut release said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper (3rd R) is briefed about the search for the lost Franklin Expedition aboard the HMCS Kingston in Eclipse Sound, near the arctic community of Pond Inlet, Nunavut on August 24, 2014. (REUTERS/Chris Wattie)

Iron fitting that 'certainly' belonged to Franklin Expedition discovered | Home

Map of the probable routes taken by Erebus and Terror during Franklin's lost expedition. Disko Bay (5) to Beechey Island, in 1845. Around Cornwallis Island (1), in 1845. Beechey Island down Peel Sound between Prince of Wales Island (2) and Somerset Island (3) and the Boothia Peninsula (4) to near King William Island in 1846 Disko Bay (5) is about 3,200 kilometres from the mouth of the MacKenzie River (6.) Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)
An iceberg, the HMS Terror and some walrus near the entrance of Hudson Strait, painted by George Black. (Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1979-49-1)

 

[Walter]

 

[Blackleaf]

Frozen, almost perfectly preserved mummy of John Shaw Torrington, who perished on 1st January 1846

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The mummified remains of John Hartnell, a 25-year-old member of the Franklin Expedition who died on 4th January 1846

Some of the officers of HMS Terror and HMS Erebus photographed in 1845 just before departure


The two Royal Navy ships, Erebus and Terror, carrying 128 well trained men and enough food for three years, set out on the voyage from the Thames Estuary in May 1845. Before departure, Franklin’s wife put the British flag (that she embroidered herself) across her husband’s legs. But it was said that it had been intended for covering corpses and that that may have been his destiny...

The crew was very optimistic. Franklin reached the area in the north west next to Greenland. Here they received other food from a supplying ship that was to carry their mail for relatives at home. And that was all. For the next three years, nothing would be heard of this expensive expedition...



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