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Auction: 11013 - Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 184

Arctica The Collinson, McClure Expedition sent to rescue Sir John Franklin 1852 (15 July) entire letter from his mother at West Boldon "By West India Mail July 17th. 1852" to Capt. Collinson on H.M.S. Enterprise "Artic (sic) Expedition Sandwich Islands Pacific", bearing 1847-54 embossed 1/- green (cut-to-shape) clearly cancelled "165" and showing, on reverse, circular-undated "gilsland", Carlisle (16.7) and London (17.7) c.d.s.; the contents include "Oh how very very anxious we are to hear that you have escaped all the perils & dangers of the ice", and much family news; the adhesives with a few small faults though a remarkable letter to this ill-fated expedition. Photo Estimate £ 2,500-3,000 Notes: This expedition of two naval vessels, the "Enterprise" under Capt. Richard Collinson, and the "Investigator" under Commander Robert Mc.Clure, was sent to search for Sir John Franklin from the Pacific end of the North West Passage, after Lady Jane Franklin pressed for a search for Sir John, missing since 1847. The two ships crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans though became separated and missed their rendevous at Hawaii. After entering the Beaufort Sea some way behind Mc.Clure Collinson retraced his steps and wintered at Hong Kong. The next season Collinson sailed as far as Prince of Wales Strait where he found evidence that Mc.Clure had wintered there though due to ice blocking the northern exit of the Strait he was forced to turn south where he wintered at Walker Bay, Victoria Island. A party set out on foot to leave a message at Winter Harbour on Victoria Island and just missed meeting up with Mc.Clure´s men. The next year Collinson sailed east round the south coast of Victoria Island and wintered at Cambridge Bay. Parties explored the mainland and came within thirty miles of the route taken by Franklin´s men on the other side of the strait on King William Island. "Enterprise" spent a third winter at Camden Bay and returned home via the Bering Strait and the Cape of Good Hope, arriving back in England in May 1855 Mc.Clure and his crew spent three years locked in pack ice aboard the "Investigator" before abandoning it and making their escape across the ice. Rescued by H.M.S. "Resolute", which was itself later lost to the ice, Mc.Clure returned to England in 1854, where he was knighted and rewarded for completing the passage Franklin was never found

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