National
Terror Bay Treasure
Whatever happened to the
Franklin Expedition? The fate
of the doomed Arctic mission
is one of the biggest unsolved
mysteries in Canadian history.
A team of Canadian scientists
has been combing the Arctic
for answers since 2008. Two
years ago, it found Franklin’s
flagship, the HMS Erebus. On
September 3, searchers located
her sister ship, the HMS Terror.
They hope the ships will finally
reveal what happened to Sir John
Franklin and his men 170 years
ago.
The Franklin
expedition
The Northwest Passage today
Sir John Franklin was on an impossible quest. In 1845, the Northwest
Passage was totally blocked by ice. Today, however, that ice is melting.
Global warming is now opening up the route for a short time each
summer.
Just as in Franklin’s day, countries see its value as a shortcut to Asia.
The route could trim thousands of kilometres and several days off a
sea voyage. One ship that made the trip in 2013 saved four days and
$200,000 in fuel costs. However, environmentalists say the route is too
shallow and difficult to navigate. They fear that some day, an oil spill
will devastate the fragile Arctic ecosystem.
Nine ships navigated the Northwest Passage in 2007. In 2012, the
number rose to 30. Most have been small ships, coast guard vessels
and supply tugs. The week the Terror was discovered, however, an
enormous 13-story cruise ship carrying 1700 people from Alaska to
New York made the transit. This opens the door to mass tourism, says
international affairs professor Michael Byers. That’s something that
could end in disaster.
“This is an incredibly remote area. If a ship carrying 3000 passengers hit
The naval hero and seasoned
an iceberg, it could take two days to get search-and-rescue helicopters
polar explorer left Britain in
up there. Yet an accident like that is almost inevitable.”
1845. He wanted to find, chart
and claim the Northwest
Passage for Britain. This shortcut The crew of 130 set out in two of latest technology. The Erebus
through the Arctic Ocean would the British Navy’s finest ships.
and Terror had iron-clad hulls,
provide a much faster trading
They were equipped with the
steam-powered propellers and
route from Europe to Asia.
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Terror Bay Treasure
heated cabins. They carried
provisions for a three-year trip.
Yet they weren’t prepared for
the ruthless Canadian Arctic.
Franklin and his men never
returned.
“I start thinking maybe I should
tell my boss about this mast I
found six, seven, eight years
ago,” said Mr. Kogvik. “I figured
it might be one of the boats that
they’ve been looking for.”
Time capsule
“Beset by ice”
Dozens of search parties were
sent out. All they found was a
note, dated April 1848, in a stone
cairn on King William Island.
Franklin was dead, it read. The
ships had been trapped in the
ice for 19 long months. The 105
surviving crewmen were striking
out on foot. They hoped to find a
Hudson Bay trading post.
Not one man made it and no one
knows why they left the safety of
their ships. The Terror may hold
some answers.
Sammy’s story
The Terror was found in Terror
Bay. (It sounds like the place to
look, but there’s no connection.)
The site was 100 kilometres
north of the Erebus wreck, far
outside the search grid.
A tip from an Inuk man led
to the find. Sammy Kogvik, of
Gjoa Haven, joined the crew
on September 2. The search
vessel was supposed to head
to Cambridge Bay the next
morning.
The expedition quickly changed
course for Terror Bay. It took
just 2½ hours for sonar to pick
up images of the Terror. The
crew soon saw a clear picture
of the wreck sitting upright in
24 metres of water, right in the
middle of the bay.
A remotely operated underwater
vehicle (ROV) investigated
further. Its images showed three
upright masts, a double wheel
and a cannon in perfect shape.
Next, the ROV ducked through
a hatch and cruised the inside
of the ship. It filmed mess tables
still standing, a food locker,
wine bottles, and china plates
on wooden racks. Hatches and
exhaust pipes were in the right
locations and the bell matched
the one on the Erebus. No doubt
about it! This glorious time
capsule was the Terror.
Who owns
the wrecks?
The United Kingdom launched
the Franklin Expedition, but
the ships were discovered in
Canadian territory. So who owns
them?
The shipwrecks belong to the
UK. However, the UK and
Canada signed a Memorandum
of Understanding in 1997. It
gives the UK the right to claim
any relics related to the Royal
Navy – and an equal share of
any gold – before releasing the
wrecks to Canada.
A third party has a claim to the
ships, too. According to treaties
signed with the Inuit, the Inuit
Heritage Trust is entitled to
a share of any archaeological
artifacts found in Nunavut.
perhaps, the Franklin crew will
spill its secrets at last. J
When the ice melts next
summer, searchers will return to
look for ship documents. Then,
Definitions
cairn: a mound of stones erected as a memorial or marker
memorandum of understanding: a formal agreement
between two or more parties
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Provisions: necessary supplies, such as food and clothing,
as for a journey
treaty: a formal written agreement between nations
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ON THE LINES
Answer the following in complete sentences:
1. Name the two Royal Navy ships that were part of the Franklin Expedition.
2. How many crew were on board these vessels?
3. Where and when did the expedition sail from and what was the purpose of this journey?
4. List at least two special features that these ships were equipped with.
5. How long were these ships trapped in the ice?
6. Which ship did Canadian archaeologists and scientists find in 2014?
7. What did Canadian searchers recently find in Terror Bay?
8. Describe how this summer’s search found the long-lost ship.
9. Who owns this vessel?
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BET WEEN THE LINES
An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A plausible inference is supported by evidence in the
article and is consistent with known facts outside of the article.
What inference(s) can you draw from the fact that Franklin’s crew decided to leave the relative safety of
the two ships and strike out on foot?
JUST TALK ABOUT IT
1. In the 19th century alone more than 40 searches were launched for HMS Terror and HMS Erebus.
Each one added to the British knowledge of the North, as have our own modern day mapping and
searching missions. In your opinion, have these expeditions been worth the risk, the countless hours of
effort, and millions of dollars? Give reasons to support your response.
2. As you see it, what is the significance of finding Franklin’s two lost ships? Explain.
ONLINE
Note: The links below are listed at www.lesplan.com/en/links for easy access.
1. Explore the maps, teacher resources, and videos on the Parks Canada website for the Franklin
Expedition at http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/culture/franklin/index.aspx
2. Email a question about the search for Franklin’s ships to the Arctic Research Foundation at
http://www.arcticresearchfoundation.ca/
3. See underwater video footage of the HMS Terror and read about the Inuit argument for a seat at
the negotiating table at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/16/inuit-canada-britainshipwreck-hms-terror-nunavut
4. Watch a news video about the discovery of the HMS Terror at
http://video.foxnews.com/v/5123147834001/long-lost-hms-terror-finally-discovered/?#sp=show-clips
5. Understand why we should care about the discovery of Franklin’s ships, as argued by Canada’s most
celebrated news anchor, Peter Mansbridge, at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/the-franklin-searchpeter-mansbridge-on-why-we-should-care-1.2760551
6. Watch a short Discovery Channel documentary, “The Search for the Northwest Passage: Part 1” at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiKrYuuerAc Part II is available at https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=IU28jeAAaQE J
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Map Assignment
Complete this map assignment to better understand the article Terror Bay Treasure.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Obtain the required resources and read all the instructions before starting.
2. Colour your map after all labelling is completed.
3. Print in pencil only first, then go over the printing in black ink.
4. Work carefully and neatly.
Resources Required: pencil, black pen, pencil crayons, ruler, eraser and an atlas.
Part A Locate and label the following territories in CAPITAL letters and shade each as indicated:
Northwest Territories (pink)
Nunavut (orange)
Part B Locate and label the capital of each territory above and underline each city name.
Part C Locate and label the following provinces in CAPITAL letters and shade each as indicated:
Alberta (red)
Ontario (red)
Saskatchewan (green)
Quebec (yellow)
Manitoba (purple)
Part D Locate and label Greenland [Denmark] in CAPITAL letters and shade it green.
Part E Locate and label the following islands:
Baffin Island
Victoria Island
Ellesmere Island
Devon Island
Part F Locate and label the following communities:
Rankin Inlet
Cambridge Bay
Arviat
Pond Inlet
Baker Lake
Igloolik
Part G Locate and label the following bodies of salt water and shade all ocean water dark blue:
Beaufort Sea
Foxe Basin
Baffin Bay
Arctic Ocean
Hudson Bay
Lancaster Sound
Hudson Strait
Part H Locate and label the following lines of latitude:
600 N
Arctic Circle 660 N
Part I Locate and label the route of Erebus and Terror.
(See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin’s_lost_expedition)
Part J Complete your map with a frame, title and compass. J
Nunavut
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0
100 200 300 400 Kilometres