The Irish standard., 1909-10-16
SONS OF H|bERN|A N
ARCTIC EXPLORATION
Sir Robert Mcclure, Native of
Wexford, Discovered the
Northwest Passage in 1886
He Was a First Cousin of
Lady Wilde, the Irish Poet
ess-Some Other Irish Nav
igators Tried to Reach
the North Pole.


1t 10 sometimes forgotten that the
Irish people may claim some Of the
credit that attaches to the various
gallant efforts to reach the North Pole,
which has been made during the last
century. The Irish record of achieve
1nent in this direction is, in fact, most
notable, writes D. J. Donoghue in the
Dublin Independent.
The names of Mcclure, McClintock
with the ambition which ia now at
.tained. And in a lesser degree such
names as those of Kellett Armstrong,
and Mccormick are also memorable
in the annals Of Arctic navigation.
From the earliest times, when 1rc-
land and Iceland were in close rela-
in the far North, and it is a tradi-
tion that early Irish navigators, like
the old Morse Vikings. penetrated far
in that direction as early as the ninth
century.
Robert Mcclure was born in 1907 in
Wexford, of which his mother, Miss
Ilgee. was a native. He was a first
cousin Of the lady who afterwards be-
came Lady Wilde. -........,.. ..,-e-.,
In early life, he Joined Nelson's old
ship. the Victory, as a midshipman,
aaas 1sss.z having passed his exam
,lnation ~ lieutensut,, he went to the
admiralty to: seek employment. While
waiting in an ante-room, one Of the
high officials saw him, and said: "Mc-
Clure, you are the very man we want.
There is an expedition setting out for
the North Pole-will you join it?"
After q little hesitation he accepted
the offer, and on June IA, 1886, he
sailed in the Terror, commanded by
Captain Back, for the Polar regions
the twelfth expedition since 1919 to
be undertaken for the discovery of the
Northwest Passage.
The task, constantly baffied since
the days of Elizabeth, was destined to
be accomplished by the young Wex-
fordman. Drake tried it. Sir Hum
phrey Gilbert tried it in connection
with Sir Walter Raleigh and many
others, all without success. An act
was passed in the reign of George H..
offering the reward Of 100000 to the
discoverer Of the Northwest Passage,
and this remained on the statute book
for eighty-two years, when, seeing
that there was no prospect Of anyone
claiming it, the act was repealed.
After Sir John Franklin had made
his final and calamitous attempt to
discover the passage, the admiralty
offered 100000 to the rescuer Of him
and his men. Mcclure was one OF
those who went out in the unsuccess-
full expedition of 1S4s to effect this
purpose. With him was Captain (aft-
erwards Admiral Sir Henry Kellett,
a Tipperary man, who was to make
his name known as an Arctic explor-
er later on. In 1850 Mcclure was ap-
pointed commander of the Investiga-
tor. commissioned to seek a northwest
passage. and this expedition FORUM
ately won the crowning success which
had been so long sought. -.
On the Investigator with Mcclure
were Captain McClintock, a Dundalk
man afterwards famous as naviga-
tor and the discoverer of Franklin's s
remains), and DR.. Armstrong, a Fer
managh man, subsequently the Sir
Alexander Armstrong who did good
work in connection with this most fas-
cinating of enterprises. Several ves-
sells were in the expedition, but they
parted company. after a short voyage.
and one midnight, when Captain Kel-
lett met the Investigator in the lonely
Arctic Sea .(August, 1850 nothing had
been heard Of it for some little time.
Kellett signalled to Mcclure to return.
but the latter replied. Cant stay-im,
portant duty-and responsibility"
For three years no more news
came from the Investigator, until Kill
lett and Mcclure met again at Mel
Vile Island, the latter having literally
obeyed the admiralty's instruction by
reaching that point from the Pacific.
Sir Edward Perry, one of the great
est Arctic naviGators. described the