Newarc Arctic expeditions: Difference between revisions
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The history of '''Newarc Arctic expeditions''' was a period of twenty-seven years, spanning from 1891 until 1918, during which the Arctic was explored by different [[New Archduchy|Newarc]] explorers. This period was a massive boost in Newarc national pride as well as the introduction of Newarc naval presence in the [[Albion Sea]], with much of these travels being sponsored by the [[Republican Navy (New Archduchy)|Republican Navy]] as part of an effort to expand its ability to conduct blue-water operations in the Albion Sea. | The history of '''Newarc Arctic expeditions''' was a period of twenty-seven years, spanning from 1891 until 1918, during which the Arctic was explored by different [[New Archduchy|Newarc]] explorers. This period was a massive boost in Newarc national pride as well as the introduction of Newarc naval presence in the [[Albion Sea]], with much of these travels being sponsored by the [[Republican Navy (New Archduchy)|Republican Navy]] as part of an effort to expand its ability to conduct blue-water operations in the Albion Sea. | ||
[[File:Chester and Emily Sailing.png|thumb|Sailing ships Chester and Emily as depicted in this artist rendition prior to departure for the 1891 Newarc Arctic expedition. ]] | [[File:Chester and Emily Sailing.png|thumb|Sailing ships ''Chester'' and ''Emily'' as depicted in this artist rendition prior to departure for the 1891 Newarc Arctic expedition.]] | ||
During this time period, the Arctic became the primary focus for New Archduchy as it held a great amount of scientific and geographical importance to the Newarc scientific community. As most of [[Crona]] was, and still is, predominantly populated by indigenous peoples, there were very few maritime-based opportunities for Newarcs to explore or venture beyond the southern half of the Albion Sea. Therefore, with the initial state-sponsored expedition of 1891, Newarc explorers, navigators, geographers, and officers ventured north through the Albion to stake their claim to the frozen expanses of the Arctic Circle. There were ten major expeditions, although smaller, privately-funded ones also occurred throughout this period but were not as intensely logged or chronicled. | During this time period, the Arctic became the primary focus for New Archduchy as it held a great amount of scientific and geographical importance to the Newarc scientific community. As most of [[Crona]] was, and still is, predominantly populated by indigenous peoples, there were very few maritime-based opportunities for Newarcs to explore or venture beyond the southern half of the Albion Sea. Therefore, with the initial state-sponsored expedition of 1891, Newarc explorers, navigators, geographers, and officers ventured north through the Albion to stake their claim to the frozen expanses of the Arctic Circle. There were ten major expeditions, although smaller, privately-funded ones also occurred throughout this period but were not as intensely logged or chronicled. | ||
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After the expedition on the Albion Peninsula, which lasted several days, the ''Chester'' and ''Emily'' both set off to what Hetherington would name Elizabeth Island. On Elizabeth Island, Howland found some signs of human life in the form of rock sculptures and carvings into the rocks on the north shore as well as limited cave exploration in the area, and came to the conclusion that these were from some of the indigenous peoples of Crona who have reached this area first. As preparations to leave Elizabeth Island went underway, the ''Emily'' struck an iceberg and required repairs, and the crews remained moored off the north shore for an additional four days while the sailors repaired the damaged hull enough to permit continuing travel. | After the expedition on the Albion Peninsula, which lasted several days, the ''Chester'' and ''Emily'' both set off to what Hetherington would name Elizabeth Island. On Elizabeth Island, Howland found some signs of human life in the form of rock sculptures and carvings into the rocks on the north shore as well as limited cave exploration in the area, and came to the conclusion that these were from some of the indigenous peoples of Crona who have reached this area first. As preparations to leave Elizabeth Island went underway, the ''Emily'' struck an iceberg and required repairs, and the crews remained moored off the north shore for an additional four days while the sailors repaired the damaged hull enough to permit continuing travel. | ||
Setting off at the end of | Setting off at the end of April, the expedition made it around another peninsula and had sighted another island. It was also there that Nathan Gibson would become the first Newarc citizen to die in the Arctic. John Howland again led an expedition ashore onto the island, but on their second night a snowstorm destroyed much of their camp and supplies. Over a day's travel away from the moored ships, they struggled back across the rocky and snow-swept terrain back to the ''Chester'', with many of the members suffering from frostbite and hypothermia. Nathan Gibson passed away within twenty-four hours, which greatly affected morale. Walter Hetherington decided to name the island in Gibson's honour, and they conducted a burial at a nearby shore; Gibson's gravesite still exists to this day, consisting of local rocks and a large cross hewn out of stone and secured with rope. The expedition continued, moving across the sea to the final part of the coastline where they sent a couple more shore parties for a longer stint, with Howland leading one of two parties. Both paties returned within a week to the coast to be recovered. | ||
[[File:John Howland first ashore.webp|thumb|Photo of John Howland and company on the Albion Peninsula, in May 1891 during the first Newarc foray into the Arctic.]] | [[File:John Howland first ashore.webp|thumb|Photo of John Howland and company on the Albion Peninsula, in May 1891 during the first Newarc foray into the Arctic.]] | ||
The expedition concluded, the ships began sailing south, successful in their voyage despite the loss of Gibson. They made the same port of call as part of the voyage back, and upon their return to New Archduchy, stopped for brief respite at the port of Adriansville before a parade was held in their honour. The scientific data and navigational charts made were methodically studied and used to plan the expedition of 1893, which was again to be led by Walter Hetherington. The impact was incredibly culturally significant. Walter Hetherington and John Howland became household names in New Archduchy, and the Rector of New Archduchy, [[Michael Ailio]], sent a letter of congratulations to Hetherington and Howland congratulating the two on their expedition, even going so far as extending an invitation to Hetherington to personally receive an {{wp|audience (meeting)|audience}} with Ailio at the official residence of the Rector. | The expedition concluded, the ships began sailing south, successful in their voyage despite the loss of Gibson. They made the same port of call as part of the voyage back, and upon their return to New Archduchy, stopped for brief respite at the port of Adriansville before a parade was held in their honour. The scientific data and navigational charts made were methodically studied and used to plan the expedition of 1893, which was again to be led by Walter Hetherington. The impact was incredibly culturally significant. Walter Hetherington and John Howland became household names in New Archduchy, and the Rector of New Archduchy, [[Michael Ailio]], sent a letter of congratulations to Hetherington and Howland congratulating the two on their expedition, even going so far as extending an invitation to Hetherington to personally receive an {{wp|audience (meeting)|audience}} with Ailio at the official residence of the Rector. | ||
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They arrived back in February 1900, the expedition a resounding success. The scientific data was gleaned, the survey and navigational charts were produced, and the expedition incurred the prestige of being the longest Arctic expedition with zero casualties to date which heralded in a new era of government confidence in further journeys northward. Howland was lauded with scientific and exploratory awards, and his naval subordinates, Shaw and Boissieu each received service medals, with Boissieu's being an honorary one due to his civilian status. The Newarc Transpolar Investigatory Commission report commended the expedition as one of the finest moments of national achievement for New Archduchy, and recommended that Howland be allowed to conduct additional, more lengthy expeditions in the future. Howland, who now felt he had to momentum and popular backing, petitioned the Common Council in April 1900 for another North Pole expedition, which was duly approved, giving him a discretionary budget of NA£250,000 to finance and fund the effort. | They arrived back in February 1900, the expedition a resounding success. The scientific data was gleaned, the survey and navigational charts were produced, and the expedition incurred the prestige of being the longest Arctic expedition with zero casualties to date which heralded in a new era of government confidence in further journeys northward. Howland was lauded with scientific and exploratory awards, and his naval subordinates, Shaw and Boissieu each received service medals, with Boissieu's being an honorary one due to his civilian status. The Newarc Transpolar Investigatory Commission report commended the expedition as one of the finest moments of national achievement for New Archduchy, and recommended that Howland be allowed to conduct additional, more lengthy expeditions in the future. Howland, who now felt he had to momentum and popular backing, petitioned the Common Council in April 1900 for another North Pole expedition, which was duly approved, giving him a discretionary budget of NA£250,000 to finance and fund the effort. | ||
=== | ===Expedition of 1903=== | ||
==== | ====Procurement of the ships==== | ||
In | In April 1900, Howland met with Douglas Shaw and Lucien Boissieu to discuss the particulars of outfitting a ship for the next expedition. The list was broad and encompassed aspects such as the flexibility to handle the high seas, the rigidity to handle the pack ice, a vast amount of storage for both a commissary and plenty of expeditionary equipment, and adequate accommodations for the crew and pack animals. In the summer of 1900, Shaw and Boissieu set out on a search for a pair of ships that would meet these new specifications. They were unsuccessful, specifically in their attempts to find a ship in the equatorial waters that was, at the same time, flexible and rigid. They reported back in the early autumn and requested to be dispatched further afield. They were given a small stipend and given another six months to find a ship that met all of the specifications. After a series of meetings across the Odoneru, it became clear such a ship did not exist and would need to be built. Boissieu convinced Shaw to go to [[Burgundie]] and meet with the draughtsmen at [[Chantiers d'Aristide]] who specialized in high-endurance whaling and clipper ships. They arrived in early December and laid out their specifications. The draughtsmen worked for three weeks on the design. At one point Shaw became fed up with the waiting and the speed at which Boissieu was burning through their stipend that he began preparations to return to Crona alone. | ||
The plans were for a wooden-hulled {{ | The plans were for a wooden-hulled {{wp|Barquentine}}, made of oak, cross-braced at every joint and fitting, with keel members of four pieces of solid oak, one above the other, adding up to a thickness of 85 in (2,200 mm), while her sides were between 30 in (760 mm) and 18 in (460 mm) thick, with twice as many frames as normal and the frames being of double thickness. The ship was to be built of planks of oak and [[Wintergen|Wintergenesc]] fir up to 30 in (760 mm) thick, sheathed in greenheart, an exceptionally strong and heavy wood. The bow, which was designed to meet the ice head-on, had been given special attention. Each timber had been made from a single oak tree chosen for its shape so that its natural shape followed the curve of the ship's design. When put together, these pieces had a thickness of 52 in (1,300 mm). A 350 hp (260 kW) coal-fired steam engine, making the ship capable of speeds up to 10.2 kn (18.9 km/h; 11.7 mph) was also to be installed. It was to be the strongest wooden ship ever built. Shaw and Boissieu felt that the design was perfect, but Chantiers d'Aristide wanted NA£50,000 per ship which was far beyond what was left of stipend. They purchased the plans for NA£500 and returned home. | ||
Upon their return | Upon their return in late January 1901, they showed the plans to Howland and he became set on having the ships built. He authorized Shaw to return on his own with NA£50,000 and an order to come home with either two ships or NA£50,000. Shaw was halfway back to [[Burgundie]] when he discovered Boissieu had stowed away on board. After a few days of lecturing him on the sheer stupidity of his stowing away, Shaw ultimately resolved himself to Boissieu's presence in the voyage, deciding to go for a different tactic to get rid of him. He brought Boissieu to a nearby bar at port and quickly made his way to Chantiers d'Aristide to negotiate terms. After a day and a half he was able to get the price for both ships down to NA£70,000 but no further. Boissieu wound up making his way to Chantiers d'Aristide anyway, and upon discovering the terms decided to challenge Chantiers d'Aristide's owner to a game of dice. The wager was that if he wins, then both ships would cost NA£25,000 each, but if he lost it would only be one ship for the original agreed-upon price. Shaw, who had spent nearly two days to get the cost of both ships down to NA£70,000 altogether, was enraged at Boissieu's interference. Boissieu won the game, causing the owner of Chantiers d'Aristide to accuse him of cheating, which prompted Shaw to urge Boissieu to just accept the one ship for NA£70,000 to get this over and done with. Instead, Boissieu asked for the owner's set of dice and promptly threw them; he won that throw as well. Further enraged by this, the owner called in the [[National Gendarmerie of Burgundie|gendarmes]] to arrest Boissieu for cheating him out of a ship and NA£20,000. Upon their arrival, Boissieu produced a pair of weighted dice which he claimed belonged to the owner, and the draughtsmen, who by this point had gotten tired of their boss's tirades, agreed with Boissieu. The matter was brought to the magistrate and the deal of two ships for NA£50,000 was ordered to be upheld with no further alterations. | ||
Work began on the twin sister ships, ''Easthampton'' and ''Leo'', the former being a reference to the many men who came from the | Work began on the twin sister ships, ''Easthampton'' and ''Leo'', the former being a reference to the many men who came from the eastern Newarc town, and the latter referencing the [[List of national symbols|Lion]], one of New Archduchy's most prominent national symbols, inherited from [[Urcea]]. | ||
===Howland-Rickett Expedition=== | ===Howland-Rickett Expedition=== | ||