Straits Gallery

The Enterprise and Investigator surrounded by ice, Barro

Engraving showing the Enterprise and Investigator surrounded by pack ice in Barrow's Straits, September 1849. These two ships were used by Sir James Clark Ross's Expedition of 1848-1849 to search the Arctic for signs of Sir John Franklin's ill-fated Arctic expedition of 1845. In 1845 the British Admiralty sent two polar exploration ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to look for the Northwest passage round the northern coast of Canada. The expedition, commanded by Sir John Franklin, disappeared from view late in 1845 and none of the men were ever seen again. In fact the ships made it to the King William Island region, then got stuck in the ice. With supplies running out the surviving crew abandoned ship and headed south. However, none made it to safety and it is assumed all died from disease, exposure or starvation. From 1848 onwards a number of relief expeditions were sent to find Franklin, but it was only in 1859 that Francis Leopold McClintock was able to confirm Franklin's fate

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10217737

HMS "Termagant" convoying the Gun-Boats "Grappler" and "Forward" through the Straits of Magellan (engraving)

1612482 HMS "Termagant" convoying the Gun-Boats "Grappler" and "Forward" through the Straits of Magellan (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: HMS "Termagant" convoying the Gun-Boats "Grappler" and "Forward" through the Straits of Magellan. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 27 October 1860.
English School (19th Century)); Look and Learn / Illustrated Papers Collection

© Look and Learn / Illustrated Papers Collection / Bridgeman Images

Chart of the Sea of Azoff and the Straits of Kertch and Yenikale (engraving)

1602299 Chart of the Sea of Azoff and the Straits of Kertch and Yenikale (engraving) by Dower, John (fl.c.1845-55); Private Collection; (add.info.: Chart of the Sea of Azoff and the Straits of Kertch and Yenikale. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 16 June 1855.
John Dower); Look and Learn / Illustrated Papers Collection

© Look and Learn / Illustrated Papers Collection / Bridgeman Images