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Arco Polar Expeditions: Difference between revisions
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Capitalizing on the success of the 1891 expedition, the [[Government of Arcerion|Confederate Parliament]] authorized the raising of a second expedition to take place the following year. Preparations however, were considerably more rushed and this would result in catastrophe. The schooner ''Emily'', still not fully repaired, was not chosen to again participate as one of the ships in the expedition. ''Chester'' was to be accompanied a new schooner, ''Forthright'', as well as one of the Naval Service's new frigates, ''Archer''. The Navy was keen on testing the frigate's ability to operate far beyond the Songun as if this was successful it could use it as precedent for additional ships to be constructed. The ships finished preparations not even a full year after the 1891 expedition's return, departing in the summer of 1893. | Capitalizing on the success of the 1891 expedition, the [[Government of Arcerion|Confederate Parliament]] authorized the raising of a second expedition to take place the following year. Preparations however, were considerably more rushed and this would result in catastrophe. The schooner ''Emily'', still not fully repaired, was not chosen to again participate as one of the ships in the expedition. ''Chester'' was to be accompanied a new schooner, ''Forthright'', as well as one of the Naval Service's new frigates, ''Archer''. The Navy was keen on testing the frigate's ability to operate far beyond the Songun as if this was successful it could use it as precedent for additional ships to be constructed. The ships finished preparations not even a full year after the 1891 expedition's return, departing in the summer of 1893. | ||
[[File:Arctic exploration ship.jpg|thumb|''Chester'', as seen from the deck of the ''Archer'', during the Expedition of 1893. Photographed in the North Albion Sea. ]] | [[File:Arctic exploration ship.jpg|thumb|''Chester'', as seen from the deck of the ''Archer'', during the Expedition of 1893. Photographed in the North Albion Sea. ]] | ||
They followed a similar route, making resupply stops at ports of call in the Cape, Kiravian colonies, and the New Archuchy, but instead of focusing on the Northern Albion Sea, the expedition intended to head farther East, closer to [[Kiravia]], as this stretch of coastline had limited survey and geographical assessments done by even the Kiravians. The main miscalculation here was the poor lack of accountability for the weather's impact. Previosuly, the departure with the turn of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere meant that the temperature was more permissive to the explorers upon their arrival in April/May of 1891. For this expedition however, the summer departure as well as farther distance meant that the October/November arrival brought with it considerable storms and seas which the ''Forthright'' struggled in. After a storm in October South of Gibson Island whilst transiting Eastwards, the ''Forthright'' lost a mast, its fall crushing two members to death. The loss in propulsion and confusion during the storm required a stop, not too far from the fourth landing in the 1891 expedition, until the mast could be repaired. The hard seas and this delay mean that the expedition arrived at their survey locations in mid-November. With the daily average temperature around -10°C. Only two landings were conducted, one by Hetherington himself for three days, and a second, longer expedition by Howland for nine days. During this time Howland made use of his previous military experience to lead a dozen men the furthest inland at that point that any non-indigenous person had ever went into the Arctic. Using sleds and snowshoes, they made it 46km inland before reaching a halfway point they determined was sufficient and heading back to the ''Chester''. | They followed a similar route, making resupply stops at ports of call in the Cape, Kiravian colonies, and the New Archuchy, but instead of focusing on the Northern Albion Sea, the expedition intended to head farther East, closer to [[Kiravia]], as this stretch of coastline had limited survey and geographical assessments done by even the Kiravians. The main miscalculation here was the poor lack of accountability for the weather's impact. Previosuly, the departure with the turn of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere meant that the temperature was more permissive to the explorers upon their arrival in April/May of 1891. For this expedition however, the summer departure as well as farther distance meant that the October/November arrival brought with it considerable storms and seas which the ''Forthright'' struggled in. After a storm in October South of Gibson Island whilst transiting Eastwards, the ''Forthright'' lost a mast, its fall crushing two members to death. The loss in propulsion and confusion during the storm required a stop, not too far from the fourth landing in the 1891 expedition, until the mast could be repaired. The hard seas and this delay mean that the expedition arrived at their survey locations in mid-November. With the daily average temperature around -10°C. Only two landings were conducted, one by Hetherington himself for three days, and a second, longer expedition by Howland for nine days. During this time Howland made use of his previous military experience to lead a dozen men the furthest inland at that point that any non-indigenous person had ever went into the Arctic. Using sleds and snowshoes, they made it 46km inland before reaching a halfway point they determined was sufficient and heading back to the ''Chester''. | ||
By this point on the return, the late November temperatures began coating the ships rigging and superstructures with a considerable amount of ice. A lack of de-icing equipment, as well as many of the new volunteers who were not veterans of the 1891 expedition lacking proper winter clothing meant that problems stemming from the initial rush for another successful expedition began to be seen. Disaster struck during another winter storm off the coast of the Albion Peninsula in the last week of November, 1893. Severe icing on the ''Forthright''<nowiki/>'s rigging had caused her to become overly top heavy. Howland, then leading the land expeditionary contingent on the ''Archer'', as the ''Emily'' was undergoing repairs, watched as the ''Forthright'' took on a serious list to starboard, and took on water. With waves as high as 25 feet, the ship went under shortly after, with no ability to launch lifeboats, life rafts, etc. The heavy sea state and freezing conditions above and below surface meant that the ability to rescue survivors, if any, was limited. This represented the first serious loss of life on an expedition, the ''Forthright'' having 27 souls aboard when she sank. | By this point on the return, the late November temperatures began coating the ships rigging and superstructures with a considerable amount of ice. A lack of de-icing equipment, as well as many of the new volunteers who were not veterans of the 1891 expedition lacking proper winter clothing meant that problems stemming from the initial rush for another successful expedition began to be seen. Disaster struck during another winter storm off the coast of the Albion Peninsula in the last week of November, 1893. Severe icing on the ''Forthright''<nowiki/>'s rigging had caused her to become overly top heavy. Howland, then leading the land expeditionary contingent on the ''Archer'', as the ''Emily'' was undergoing repairs, watched as the ''Forthright'' took on a serious list to starboard, and took on water. With waves as high as 25 feet, the ship went under shortly after, with no ability to launch lifeboats, life rafts, etc. The heavy sea state and freezing conditions above and below surface meant that the ability to rescue survivors, if any, was limited. This represented the first serious loss of life on an expedition, the ''Forthright'' having 27 souls aboard when she sank. | ||
The return to Arcerion was considerably less enthusiastic as the brave adventurers had lost so many of their own, and the government was incredibly hesitant to now continue funding these expeditions. However the Arco Transpolar Investigatory Commission was setup by the Foreign Office in conjunction with the Naval Service to investigate the sinking of the ''Forthright'', and found that rushed preparations, poorly trained and equipped crew, and a lack of experienced Arctic sailors had led to the demise of the ''Forthright''. However, from this, the government began to work on codifying the requirements for future expeditions should the appetite arise again, and recommended that much more time and effort be invested into future expeditions in order to minimize unnecessary loss of life. Hetherington, in his memoirs, stated that the loss of the ''Forthright'' was entirely preventable, and only a mad frenzy to foster another successful expedition had led to the deaths of almost thirty men. | The return to Arcerion was considerably less enthusiastic as the brave adventurers had lost so many of their own, and the government was incredibly hesitant to now continue funding these expeditions. However the Arco Transpolar Investigatory Commission was setup by the Foreign Office in conjunction with the Naval Service to investigate the sinking of the ''Forthright'', and found that rushed preparations, poorly trained and equipped crew, and a lack of experienced Arctic sailors had led to the demise of the ''Forthright''. However, from this, the government began to work on codifying the requirements for future expeditions should the appetite arise again, and recommended that much more time and effort be invested into future expeditions in order to minimize unnecessary loss of life. Hetherington, in his memoirs, stated that the loss of the ''Forthright'' was entirely preventable, and only a mad frenzy to foster another successful expedition had led to the deaths of almost thirty men. | ||
=== Expedition of 1899 === | === Expedition of 1899 === | ||
After the loss of the ''Forthright'' in 1893, John Howland had been determined to take another expedition North and set up a long-term survey and research camp dedicated to providing that Arctic expeditions were still feasible. Howland entreated the Arco Transpolar Investigatory Commission twice unsuccessfully, in both 1894, and 1896 for a new expedition of this sort to be made. Finally, the decision was made to permit the sailing of a single ship and crew to minimize the fallout should it be lost after the ''Forthright'' loss. Howland during this time had kept up his academic research and preparations, leading a pair of mountaineering expeditions to [[Mount Carter]] in [[Moorden]] in 1895 and 1896. From this, he ahd cultivated an experienced team of civilian and military explorers. | |||
=== Howland's Expedition === | === Howland's Expedition === | ||
=== Howland-Rickett Expedition === | === Howland-Rickett Expedition === | ||