David Spilman Fine Books

The American Arctic Expedition; [August 10, 1878, p. 149] [The Jeannette ... now being fitted out for Polar Exploration by Mr. James Gordon Bennett (at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco Bay)]

The Graphic

London: William Luson Thomas, 1878. Very Good. [15.75x11.5in sheet] Illustration of the USS Jeannette (formerly the H.M.S. Pandora) by William Edward Atkins (W.E.A.) and map of the Arctic ocean showing polar currents and farthest north explorations to date; Single sheet printing on verso, slightly age-toned with small chips and closed tears along edges. Item #14443

The USS Jeannette was a naval exploration vessel which, commanded by George W. De Long, undertook the Jeannette expedition of 1879–1881 to the Arctic by way of the Bering Strait. After being trapped in the ice and drifting for almost two years, the ship and her crew of 33 were released from the ice, then trapped again, crushed and sunk some 300 nautical miles (560 km; 350 mi) north of the Siberian coast. The entire crew survived the sinking, but eight died while sailing towards land in a small cutter. The others reached Siberia, but 12 subsequently perished in the Lena Delta, including De Long.

The vessel had begun her active career in 1861 as H.M.S. Pandora, a Royal Navy gunboat. After more than a decade's service off the West African coast and in the Mediterranean, Pandora was retired from duty and sold as a private yacht to a British explorer, Allen Young. Young took her on two voyages to the Arctic, in 1875 and 1876, before selling her to James Gordon Bennett Jr., proprietor of The New York Herald, who changed her name to Jeannette. Although she sailed to the Arctic under the U.S. flag as USS Jeannette, subject to naval laws and discipline, Bennett remained responsible for the costs of the expedition.

The Jeannette was refitted at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco Bay through private funding by James Gordon Bennett, Jr. (1840-1918), owner of the New York Herald newspaper and sponsor of many expeditions, races and other events in the late 19th century. The shipyard was established in 1854 as the first United States Naval base on the west coast.

Price: $100.00