1866 Sherard Osborn - SEARCH FOR NORTH POLE - Arctic

Title: On the Exploration of the North Polar Region.

Author: OSBORN, Captain Sherard
Publisher: London: Royal Geographical Society, 1866

Notes & Condition: Sherard Osborn's passionate and convincing entreaty for continued Arctic explorations, impressing the importance of ascertain the position of the North Pole. Accompanied by a highly detailed chart titled, 'Table of Voyages Towards the North Pole', which lists the earliest captains and their vessels, northernmost latitude attained, the nature of observation, bibliographical reference the statement, and other critical remarks pertaining to Arctic exploration.

21 pages, two of which are in facsimile. Item is in very good condition, attractively bound booklet style in modern blue paper covers with label.

Arctic explorer Sherard Osborn, took a prominent part in 1849 in advocating a new search expedition for Sir John Franklin, and in 1850 was appointed to the command of the steam-tender Pioneer in the Arctic expedition under Horatio Thomas Austin, in the course of which he performed a remarkable sledge-journey to the western extremity of Prince of Wales Island. He published an account of this voyage, entitled Stray Leaves from an Arctic Journal, in 1852, and was promoted to the rank of commander shortly afterwards. In the new expedition, 1852-1854 under Sir Edward Belcher he again took part as commander of the Pioneer. In 1856, he published the journals of Captain Robert McClure, giving a narrative of the discovery of the Northwest Passage. In 1873, he induced Commander Albert Markham to undertake a summer voyage for the purpose of testing the conditions of ice-navigation with the aid of steam, with the result that a new Arctic expedition, under Sir George Nares, was determined upon. He was a member of the committee which made the preparations for this expedition, and died a few days after it had sailed.