Sabine, British Naval Northwest Passage Expedition, 1819-1820

• MS 549;SL Meteorological journal, 11 May to 6 September 1819 [Kept by Sabine, HMS Hecla] 1 volume

The British Naval Northwest Passage Expedition, 1819-1820 (leader William Edward Parry) was despatched by the Admiralty to continue the work begun by Ross's 1818 expedition by sailing to and exploring Lancaster Sound. After sailing north through Davis Strait to Baffin Bay the two ships HMS Hecla (Parry) and HMS Griper (Mathew Lindon) entered Lancaster Sound and explored the Prince Regent Inlet area before ice conditions forced them back. The crossing of the 110°W meridian earned the expedition a 5,000 reward for the partial discovery of a passage. HMS Hecla and HMS Griper became the first Navy ships to deliberately winter in the Arctic.

Chronological

The Institute holds several archival collections containing material relating to this expedition see SPRI collections GB 015 Sir William Edward Parry, GB 015 Mathew Liddon and GB 015 North Georgia Gazette