Charting the Russian Northern Sea route: The Arctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition 1910-1915

Charting the Russian Northern Sea Route: The Arctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition 1910-1915
xxxiv, 332 pp. 8vo. Maps precede text, includes section of black & white photographs. Taymyr and her sister ship Vaygach were built for the purpose of thoroughly exploring the uncharted areas of the Northern Sea Route. This venture became known as the Arctic Ocean Hydrographic Expedition. "Starokadomskiy, who had served as medical officer aboard Taymyr throughout the voyages and who drew upon his own diaries, the ships' logs, and the scattered writings of other participants" provides a firsthand account of the expedition, which opened up an important trade route, and also discovered the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. Translated from the Russian original, which was released in 1946, with second and third editions in 1953 and 1959. This translation includes an introduction and extensive notes, and is taken largely from the 1959 third edition, but also with comparison made to the first edition (numerous changes were made between these editions, including the removal of important facts for political reasons). The translation, as a result, represents the most complete and up-to-date version available. Arctic Bibliography 16702 (referencing the original Russian edition): "Narrative of the expedition led by Captain Vil'kitskii, which carried on hydrographic and other scientific work from Cape Deshneva (East Cape) to Cape Chelyuskin, wintering in Vladivostok and exploring in the summer (1910-13). The author, a physician, participated in the discovery of Severnaya Zemlya, Taymyr Island, and Starokadomskiy Island (1913). In 1914-15 the two ships of the expedition, Taimyr and Vaigach, sailed from Vladivostok to Archangel, being the first to make the passage from the east."Keywords: ADVENTURE ARCTIC POLAR EXPEDITION RUSSIAN NORTHERN SEA ROUTE OCEAN HYDROGRAPHIC EXPLORATION