SourceLab
Vol. 1, No. 2 (2018)
10.21900/j.sourcelab.v1.398

In 1845, at the beginning of the Victorian era, a British expedition led by explorer Sir John Franklin sailed into the Arctic to search for the Northwest Passage. The British Admiralty heavily promoted and funded this expedition. Its organizers hoped that, by finding and mapping this hypothetical trade route, the expedition could open a new avenue for commerce with the East. It would also garner Great Britain significant international prestige along with economic and political advantages.

Both ships, along with their crews, never returned. Following an extensive search promoted by Franklin’s wife, sufficient remnants of the expedition were eventually found to establish that all participants had died. With additional discoveries made as recently as 2016, the expedition continues to be the subject of extensive research.

Though most physical evidence of their ordeal was lost, the explorers sent some mail back to England on a supply ship that accompanied the first part of their voyage. One of these letters, mailed by Franklin to his friend Sir John Richardson, survived, though it is unfortunately incomplete. Even in its partial state, the letter is a valuable record of the expedition and its commander's mindset and observations.

This edition includes a facsimile of the letter and a full transcription. As a supplement, we also include a map detailing the significant locations of the expedition. A guide to citing the letter for research is also included.

With contributions by Bijan Mansoorieh