Scientific and Other Instruments Used in Arctic Regions on the Dutch Schooner Willem Barents, in 1878
Scientifc and other Instruments used in Arctic Regions on the Dutch Schooner Willem Barents, in 1878
Willem F.J. Mörzer Bruyns
Introduction on the Northeast coast of Novaya Zemlya, and The 1878 Voyage of the Willem In 1878 the Dutch were late in joining the brought back a large collection of artefacts Barents 6 countries that in the nineteenth century or- from that site. In the Netherlands it was felt The Willem Barents left Amsterdam in May ni e scientifc e e itions to the rctic.1 that those relics should have been returned by 1878, and the RNN had kept its promise for his rticle iscusses the scientifc instru- a Dutch expedition. support. Besides donating provisions and ments and apparatus that they took that year, Dutch hurt feelings led to plans to organize lending navigating instruments, the Navy as- how they were obtained, used, and for what an own Arctic expedition. It was argued that si ne three offcers n some of the cre . purpose. memori l stones l ce t si nifc nt e rly Lieutenant-commander A. de Bruijne (1842– 1916) was the schooner’s Captain and leader Arctic expeditions had started soon after the discoveries, would be a reminder of the of the expedition; he was also in charge of col- end of the Napoleonic wars, and the British Dutch historic contributions to Arctic topon- lecting the meteorological and oceanographic ere the frst. hey ere se rchin for the ymy. The initiative came from members of data. The other two were Lieutenants L.R. Northwest passage from the Atlantic to the the Netherlands Geographic Society (Neder- Koolemans Beijnen (1852–1879) and H.M. cifc ce n scientifc rese rch such s on lands Aardrijkskundig Genootschap, founded Speelman Bart.9 Koolemans Beijnen was terrestrial magnetism was done occasionally, 1873). To gain experience for such an expe- the offcer ho h s ile in Pandora, and but mostly secondary.2 Voyages usually in- dition, a Dutch Navy lieutenant was assigned with his Arctic experience now acted as ‘ice volved ships of the Royal Navy, and after its to the British steam-assisted Pandora, to the master’.10 Speelman was put in charge of the founding in 1830 the Royal Geographical So- Canadian Arctic in the summers of 1875 and 7 magnetic observations. Also on board were a ciety of London organized expeditions with 1876. ship’s doctor and a zoologist. The latter was privately-owned vessels. In the late 1830s As the Dutch Government and the Royal to collect samples of marine plant and ani- Russian expeditions went to Novaya Zemlya Netherlands Navy (RNN) were unwilling to m l life for hich ur ose fshin e ui ment for research in geology and natural history. fn nce n e e ition lthou h the N y and sieves were shipped (see Fig. 1). Finally Around 1850 many of the undertakings were promised support -, a private Committee W.J.A. Grant (1851–1935) should be men- in search of the missing expedition under Sir was formed to appeal to the Dutch public for tioned, an Englishman of independent means, John Franklin with HMS Erebus and HMS money to fun the uil in e ui in n who joined as photographer. He had sailed Terror, having sailed in 1845 in search of the manning of an Arctic expedition vessel. Com- in that capacity in Pandora with Koolemans Northwest passage.3 In the early 1850s Amer- mittee members included M.H. Jansen (1817– Beijnen, and was a pioneer of Arctic photog- icans joined in the search for Franklin, but 1893), a retired RNN Captain, and later head raphy.11 Grant’s main task on Willem Barents also sailed to the Arctic for discovery. Search of the department of maritime meteorology of was to take photographs of places historically for the Northwest and later for the Northeast the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institu- si nifc nt to the Netherl n s. passage, from Europe to Asia, continued, and tion in Utrecht, founded in 1854. When still in attempts to reach the North Pole were under- the Navy Jansen had met U.S. Navy Lieuten- A leak in the hull forced the schooner to divert taken. In the second half of the century col- ant Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806–1873), it’s route to Bergen in Norway for repair. As lecting data on meteorology, oceanography, in Washington DC, and they became close it happened the Norwegian steam-driven re- n the e rth s m netic fel ec me in- friends. Maury was in charge of the Depot of search vessel Vøringen was in port, and visited creasingly important. Terrestrial magnetism Charts and Instruments in the U.S. Capital, y the utch offcers. Vøringen had recently was observed on Spitsbergen in the 1820s and and the main advocate of maritime meteo- completed a voyage in the North Atlantic, led 1860s by Irish and Swedish scholars. Ocean- rology and oceanography.8 Other Committee by the Norwegian astronomer and meteorolo- ography was given a boost by the voyage of members included Professor P.J. Veth, chair- gist Professor Henrik Mohn (1835–1916), for 4 HMS Challenger of 1872–78. The number of man of the Netherlands Geographic Society, the same research as the Willem Barents was Arctic expeditions and participating countries and Dr C.H.D. Buys Ballot (1817-1890), about to undertake.12 After repair the schoo- increased, also to include Austria, Germany, director of the Meteorological Institution, ner continued North and reached the North- and Norway. More often sail was replaced and Professor of physics in Utrecht. Their west coast of Spitsbergen. On the small island by steam-assisted or steamships, which are membership led to a shift in the expedition’s of Ytre Norskøya Speelman commenced with easier manoeuvrable in Polar ice. main objective, from the placing of memo- the magnetic observations. He did so on the same location where Constantine John Phipps As a result of some of these expeditions, topo- rial stones to collecting data on meteorology, FRS (1744–1792), Sir Edward Sabine FRS graphic names given by Dutch Arctic explor- oceanography, and terrestrial magnetism. (1788–1883), and the Swede Dr Nils Chris- ers such as Willem Barentsz in the sixteenth Money donated to the Committee came from topher Dunér (1839–1914) had done similar century, and later by Dutch whale men, were all parts of the country, in today’s terms it measurements, in 1773, 1823, and 1861 and replaced by contemporary names.5 This led would be called ‘crowd-funding’. The even- 1864 respectively.13 to indignation in the Netherlands. After all it tual sum, however, was by far not enough to was Willem Barentsz who, when seeking the build a hoped-for steamship, or even to pur- The measurements were of the so-called Northeast passage in 1596, had discovered, chase one second-hand. Due to the nation- ‘magnetic elements’, comprising the declina- surveyed and named much of the western and alistic character of the undertaking - to the tion (or variation), the inclination (or dip), and northern coastlines of Spitsbergen, and No- general public memorial stones remained par- the intensity (or force) of the earth’s magnetic vaya Zemlya. His discoveries had led to the amount -, chartering a foreign steam-driven fel .14 Declination is the horizontal angle utch rctic h lin in ustry th t ourishe essel s out of the uestion. here s ust between the geographic north and the mag- well into the eighteenth century. Adding to enough money to have a 25-metre schooner netic needle, inclination is the vertical angle the national indignation, in 1871 a Norwegian built, the Willem Barents was completed early between local horizontal plane and the needle, sealing skipper reached the 1596–97 winter- 1878. and intensity is the local force of the earth’s in u rters of illem B rents n his men m netic fel it consists of ertic l n
30 Bulletin of the Scientifc Instrument Society No. 143 (2019) a horizontal component. Because Speelman was not familiar with such measurements, he had received instructions from Dr Mau- rits Snellen (1840–1907), who was respon- sible for research in terrestrial magnetism at the Meteorological Institution. To become c u inte ith the m netic instruments that were purchased in London (see below), Speelman had also been sent to Kew Obser- vatory, Richmond, where Dr G.M. Whipple (1842–1893) was in charge of research in ter- restrial magnetism. From Spitsbergen the schooner sailed east- wards into the Barents Sea, the area desig- nated for the oceanographic research. That had been chosen as it was adjacent to the area recently researched by the Vøringen, so that the results of the two expeditions would be complementary.15 Like the Norwegians, the Dutch were expected to sound depths, collect ground samples from the seabed, and measure the temperature and salinity of the seawater at several depths. While in the Barents Sea, the schooner visited the West coast of Novaya Zemlya and Bjørnøya (Bear Island), where Fig. 1 A selection of the instruments and apparatus for oceanography displayed on the deck Speelman continued his magnetic observa- of the Willem Barents in 1878, behind the winch and boiler. From left to right: a Fitzgerald tions. sounder with scoop (34, without its weight), a water-bottle by Ekman (31), the slip-water- bottle by Milne & Son (30). Placed on the winch is the psychrometer by Remkes (22), and nother t s of the offcers s to etermine left of that a Hydra-sounder (35, only the upper part of the rod is visible). Lying on the hatch the exact position of locations that were of is the large water-bottle by Wille (32), in front of that a sandglass, the anemometer by Mohn historic l si nifc nce to the Netherl n s. (24), thermometers by Six (25), Miller-Casella (26), and Negretti & Zambra (27), a glass They did so by astronomical observations hydrometer (28), and on the right the stopcock-water-bottle by Buchanan (29). The horseshoe on the afore-mentioned islands. For its tasks magnet was for re-setting the indexes in maximum-minimum thermometers. On the far left the schooner carried four categories of instru- on the deck, equipment of the zoologist; lying on top of a dragnet are the Royal Navy patent ments and apparatus; for navigation, position- tube-lead (36) and a gutta-percha strand of an accumulator. Photo W.J.A. Grant, courtesy Het fn in on shore n hy ro r hy secon ly Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. no. S.0101(45). for recording meteorological data, thirdly instruments and apparatus for oceanography, eters that remained on board in an insulated only one made. Christopher George RN had n fn lly for the me surement of terrestri l box. All timepieces were lent by the RNN. tente his rtifci l mercuri l hori on ro- magnetism.16 They are listed in the Appendix, visionally in 1868 (no. 9, see Fig. 3).19 Its and are described in more detail in the follow- The full and the half circle by Pistor & Mar- presence was probably on recommendation of ing paragraphs; the numbers correspond with tins in Berlin (no. 5, see Fig. 3 & no. 6,) for Koolemans Beijnen, who had used it success- those in the Appendix. After the voyage the navigation and hydrography, were also bor- fully on Pandora. meteorological and oceanographic data were rowed from the RNN. The Dutch Navy had published by the Meteorological Institution, ou ht these (h lf)circles from th t frm e- No s ecifc et ils re i en out the ssey the offcer s re orts n the m netic t tween 1858 and 1873, when it was dissolved. patent sounding lead, and patent logs (nos. 10 appeared in the Bijbladen, the supplementary f the three rtifci l hori ons the frst s & 11), but it may be presumed that they were series of the scholarly journal of the Geo- a black glass type, that was supplied by the recent versions of the various sounders and graphic Society. RNN (no. 7, see Fig. 3). The second was mer- lo s th t the ssey frm ro uce o er the curial (no. 8) and designed by A.P. Achen- years.20 The ship’s steering compass, its spare The Instruments for Navigating, bach, commandant of the Nautical School com ss c r s the li ui com sses n the Hydrography, etc. (nos. 1-16) (Kweekschool voor de Zeevaart) in Amster- azimuth-compass (nos. 12-15) were on loan The navigating instruments on Willem Bar- dam, and formerly a master in the merchant from the RNN. The ‘day & night’ telescope ents were probably similar to those then is- navy. It was made by L.J. Harri, nautical in- (no. 16) was lent by the RNN too, and was sued to an RNN ship, and indeed the Dutch strument-maker in Amsterdam, and presented very likely English-made. Navy provided most of them. For determining to the expedition by Achenbach. It worked by longitude the schooner had chronometers by l ss mirror o tin on thin l yer of mer- The Meteorological Instruments (nos. Duncan McGregor in Glasgow & Greenock, cury. De Bruijne used it but found the results 17-25) and by Abraham de Casseres and Andreas to be useless, as, due to the wind, the mirror The meteorological instruments were for Hohwü both in Amsterdam (nos. 1-3). The did not remain horizontal.17 Harri remedied measuring barometrical pressure, the tem- deck watch was by Friedrich Knebel (no. 4, that the following year by constructing a pro- perature of air, of seawater at the surface, for see Fig. 3), also in Amsterdam. It was used to tective glass cover over the instrument.18 No relative humidity, and the force of the wind. read the exact time of an observation on land, example or description of this instrument is Few details are known about the barometers which was then compared with the chronom- on record, and it is possible that this was the and the thermometers (nos. 17-21); they were
Bulletin of the Scientifc Instrument Society No. 143 (2019) 31 probably provided by the Meteorological In- stitution, or obtained from instrument-makers connected to that, like H. Olland in Utrecht.21 The psychrometer (no. 22, see Fig. 1), and a thermometer were by M.H. Remkes also in Utrecht, an instrument-maker about whom lit- tle is known.22 The hair-hygrometer (no. 23) was used when the wick around the ‘wet bulb’ of the psychrometer was frozen, rendering it useless. The portable anemometer (no. 24, see Fig. 1) was designed by the already-men- tioned Professor Mohn, and might have been c uire in Ber en hen Willem Barents was there for repair. De Bruijne makes no men- tion of it, but during the International Polar Year of 1882-83, the Norwegian expedition found Mohn’s anemometer to be more reli- able that those by Hagemann and Robinson.23 The self-registering alcohol thermometer de- signed by James Six FRS in 1780 (no. 25, see i . 1) s the frst ith hich the m imum and minimum temperature of the air within a certain period, could be registered. This was Fig. 2 The Willem Barents anchored to the ice in 1878. Suspended from the yard, on portside, by indexes that were moved by the spirit.24 is an accumulator below which the Wille water-bottle is attached. The auxiliary boiler with its There is no report of the Six’s being using on funnel is visible behind the mainmast. Photo W.J.A. Grant, courtesy Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Willem Barents. Thanks to Buys Ballot and Amsterdam, inv. no. S.0090. Veth the data on meteorology and oceanogra- phy (see the next paragraph) collected by De Bruijne were published by the Meteorological cases (no. 27, see Fig. 1). Like the Miller- 31, see Fig. 1). By this the water sample kept Institution, and his report by the Geographic Casella’s they were for deep-sea temperature its temperature while being hauled up through Society, both the following year.25 measurement; they were used a lot on the layers of colder or warmer seawater. Ek- schooner and gave good results.30 man’s bottles, for use to about 100 fathoms, The Instruments and Apparatus for ere m e y . . in uist m them ti- The six different kinds of water-bottles on Oceanography (nos. 26-37) cal instrument-maker in Stockholm.33 They the schooner were for recovering a sample of ere frst use in 1 n t o ye rs l ter The Hydrographer of the Royal Navy in seawater at a certain depth, for measuring its c uire from in uist for Willem Barents, London had helped the Dutch to select the temperature and salinity. At the desired depth and proved successful.34 The water-bottle apparatus for collecting oceanographic data, a valve was opened so that seawater would designed by the Norwegian Navy Captain and he based his advice on the voyage of the enter the bottle, the valve was then closed, 26 C.F. Wille, commander of Vøringen, was de- Challenger. Although the mean depth of the and the bottle hauled up. On the deck the scribed by De Bruijne in detail (no. 32, see Barents Sea is about 125 fathoms (about 229 sample was tapped from the bottle, and the Fig. 1).35 It was obtained from the Vøringen, metres), the schooner had an auxiliary boiler measurements taken. The way in which the when the Willem Barents was in Bergen for and a steam winch (See Figs. 1 & 2) to haul valves were opened and closed remotely, de- repair. Wille’s bottle was used in 1878, as is in the lines of deep-sea thermometers, water- pended on the system chosen by the inventor. evident from a photograph by Grant, where collecting and sounding apparatus. An entire h t coul for e m le e y mo e it can be seen suspended from an accumula- sounding could take up to one hour and 15 upwards or downwards by the water pressure 27 tor at the end of the yard on port side of the minutes. when descending or being hauled up, or by schooner (Fig. 2).36 For collecting and measuring deep-sea data propellers that reversed when being hauled the Willem Barents had four kinds of instru- up, closing the valve. The stopcock-water- The last water-bottle to be mentioned here ments and apparatus, thermometers, hydrom- bottle (also called valve-sounding lead, no. (no. 33) was designed around 1855 by RNN eters, water-bottles, and depth-sounders. The 29, see Fig. 1) was designed by John Young Lieutenant J. van Gogh because, according to ten deep-sea thermometers were used for Buchanan FRS, a chemist who took part in the him, the available English water-bottle was me surement t s ecifc e ths. he iller voyage of HMS Challenger, during which his impractical.37 Van Gogh was Jansen’s succes- Casella maximum-minimum thermometer bottle was also used.31 De Bruijne makes no sor as head of the department of maritime me- had been developed for that purpose in 1868 mention of using it. The next was the robust, teorology at the Meteorological Institution, he by Dr W.A. Miller FRS, after a voyage of solid-brass slip-water-bottle, that was also commissioned Batenburg & Co in Rotterdam HMS Lightning, and was made by L.P. Casel- used on Challenger; it had been designed and to make his water-bottle. There is no mention la in London (no. 26, see Fig. 1).28 Although made by John Milne & Son, brass-founders in of it being used in 1878. Edinburgh (no. 30, see Fig. 1). Besides recov- De Bruijne admitted that these instruments The six sounders were to scoop a small ering a water sample at great depth, it could had a good reputation, he found the results sample of sediment from the seabed. The also retrieve some sediment from the seabed; to be unreliable, because when compared to Fitzgerald sounder (also called Lightning- it was not mentioned by De Bruijne.32 The other, simultaneous measurements, their read- sounder, after the ship, no. 34, see Fig. 1) advantage of the next water-bottle, designed ings appeared to have changed during hauling was developed in 1868. It was sunk by an at- 29 by the Swedish oceanographer Professor F.L. back on board. The reversing thermometers tached weight, that drove the scoop into the Ekman (1830–1890), was its insulation (no. y Ne retti m r ere ftte in oo en se e . hen ullin it u the flle scoo
32 Bulletin of the Scientifc Instrument Society No. 143 (2019) volved Van Rijckevorsel in the preparations for the Dutch expedition, who then lent his unifl r m netometer n his e ttern dip-circle to the Willem Barents. In addition Van Rijckevorsel purchased the Fox dip- circle, also by John Dover (no. 40, see Fig. 3), and the arctic-shore azimuth-compass by E. Dent & Co, London (no. 41, see Fig. 3); the latter was soon taken over by the RNN. Before being shipped, these two instruments were examined at Kew Observatory.46 To be- come c u inte ith their use Buys B llot and Van Rijckevorsel arranged that Speelman went to Kew Observatory; after the voyage his report and magnetic data were published by the Geographic Society.47 he unifl r m netometer is so n me e- cause its magnet is suspended by one silk thread through a protective glass tube; it was for measuring the magnetic declination and horizontal intensity.48 Speelman used it dur- ing the expedition, but gives no details about its u lity or usefulness. he e ttern dip-circle was for measuring the inclination, Fig. 3 A selection of the instruments for navigation, hydrography and terrestrial magnetism, but was not used in 1878. Speelman preferred on Novaya Zemlya in 1878. From left to right: on the tripod and in the box in front of that the dip-circle that Robert Were Fox FRS had is the arctic-shore dry azimuth-compass by Dent & Co (41), Professor Stamkart’s gimballed designed around 1834, to measure inclination compass (42), the gimballed Fox dip-circle (40), in front of that the Pistor & Martins refecting and intensity.49 The example on Willem Bar- circle on its box (5), on a tripod the Elliott Brothers uniflar magnetometer (38), in front of ents was suspended in gimbals so that it could that the Kew-pattern dip-circle by Dover (39), in front of that on the ground Captain George’s also be used at sea. The gimbals were made in artifcial horizon (9), the deck watch by Knebel (4), and wooden jars, probably for storing Amsterdam, but because of the late delivery mercury. At the back on the right Breithaupt & Son’s azimuth-compass on a tripod (43), on of the Fox from London, the adaptation had the foreground right, the leather carrying case and strap for George’s artifcial horizon, and to be done in a hurry. That, and the schooner’s behind that to the right the artifcial black glass artifcial horizon with three levelling feet in its motion, were the reasons that the instrument box (7). The boxes of the dip-circle and the Fox-circle are displayed separately. Photo W.J.A. was not a success at sea, but it was used on Grant, courtesy Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. no. S.0101(42). l n fre uently.50 The arctic-shore dry azi- muth-compass (also called landing compass ec use it s use on l n ) s for fn in was closed, and the weight became detached, Buys Ballot, which perhaps explains the in- azimuths at high latitudes, and for measuring making the sounder less heavy.38 It was never strument’s presence. horizontal intensity. This compass was used used on Willem Barents.39 The Hydra-sounder The Instruments for Terrestrial together with the Fox-circle on all occasions (also called Hydra-rod, no. 35, see Fig. 1) had that magnetic observations were done. een e elo e in 1 too the frst e m le Magnetism (nos. 38-43) was made by the smithy on HMS Hydra; it Most of these six instruments were provided In the 1850s Dutch Professor F.J. Stamkart was also used on Challenger.40 It consisted of by Dr Elie van Rijckevorsel (1845–1928), an (1805–1882), who was involved with the a hollow rod and a weight of 50 kg (beyond independently wealthy gentleman of learning. triangulation of the Netherlands, started re- 00 f thoms 100 s re uire ) the ro Van Rijckevorsel’s father was a Rotterdam searching ship’s magnetism. The increase penetrated the seabed on impact, to contain a ship-owner, whose fortune enabled his son to of iron and steel in shipbuilding, replacing sample of sediment, and the weight was re- pursue his academic interest, research in ter- wood, caused large and complicated errors in leased to lighten it when hauled up. The Hy- restrial magnetism, without having to work ship’s magnetic compasses. Stamkart devel- dra-sounder was successfully used on Willem for a living.44 In this he was encouraged by oped methods and instruments to compensate Barents.41 The Royal Navy patent tube-lead Buys Ballot, by whom he received his doctor- the in uence of shi s iron n steel on the (no. 36, see Fig. 1) was similar to the Hydra- ate in Utrecht, in 1872. To further his knowl- compasses. He designed his gimballed com- sounder, with a hollow tube and a weight. It edge Van Rijckevorsel worked with Whipple pass for measuring horizontal intensity at sea, 51 was also used on Challenger, and therefore at Kew Observatory and at the magnetic ob- around 1855. Harri made the example used sometimes called Challenger’s tube lead.42 servatory of Johann von Lamont (1805–1879) on Willem Barents specially for that voyage It was used on Willem Barents, but found to in unich. In 1 3 he urch se unifl r (no. 42, see Fig. 3). On the schooner its use- be successful only if the sea bottom was soft, magnetometer made by Elliott Brothers, Lon- fulness was limited due to the vessels motion, so that the tube could penetrate. Not much is don (no. 38, see Fig. 3) and a Kew-pattern and because of the proximity of the iron boiler known about the sounder (no. 37) designed by dip-circle made by John Dover, Charlton, and winch, and the steering compass. It was 52 Professor Pieter Harting (1812–1885); it was Kent (no. 39, see Fig. 3), which Van Rijckev- su se uently use on l n . Last in this cat- used at least twice in 1878, together with Ek- orsel used to observe terrestrial magnetism in egory is the azimuth-compass on a tripod, by man’s water-bottle.43 Harting was a biologist the Dutch East-Indies, from 1874–77.45 After F.W. Breithaupt & Son in Kassel (no. 43, see in Utrecht, and there a colleague of Professor his return to the Netherlands, Buys Ballot in- Fig. 3). There is no mention of it being used.
Bulletin of the Scientifc Instrument Society No. 143 (2019) 33 after drawings provided by the Meteorologi- cal Institution. Von Lamont’s set was used on land in a detachable cabin, specially con- structed for that purpose (see Fig. 4).56 rom 1 0 on r s the u lity n u ntity of the collected data rapidly declined; later N l offcers i not un ert e th t t s seriously. This led Buys Ballot and Veth to leave the Committee in 1880.57 Initially Buys Ballot refused to have the Meteoro- logical Institution publish the scarce data; two years later he also refused to continue lending meteorological instruments to the schooner.58 By 1884 the general public and the RNN had lost interest in the voyages, which then ceased, and the schooner was sold in 1886.59 The International Polar Year of 1882-83 An early initiative of the International Me- teorological Organisation was to initiate and coordinate the systematic collecting of data Fig. 4 Offcers of the Willem Barents observing terrestrial magnetism on Novaya Zemlya in on meteorology and terrestrial magnetism in 1879. From left to right the detachable wooden cabin (one by one metre) with Von Lamont’s the Polar regions.60 le en countries ftte out variometers, the Kew-pattern dip-circle (39) and the Elliott Brothers uniflar magnetometer expeditions to the Arctic, in order to register (38), both on tripods. Photo W.J.A. Grant, courtesy Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. similar data, with similar instruments, each no. S.0090(02)029. day and night during twelve months, every so-many hours, and at the precisely the same The Willem Barents Expedition of by the Meteorological Institution and the times. That was from 1882–83, and called 1878: Summing Up Geographic Society. That year the schooner the (later First) International Polar Year. The was also given a set of magnetic variometers, expeditions were stationed in a wide circle The Dutch Arctic expedition of 1878 was which had not been available in 1878. They roun the North ole t out e u l is- ell e ui e n ell re re for its t s . were designed by Von Lamont for measuring tances between them. Buys Ballot wanted the The choice of instruments and apparatus for the magnetic declination, horizontal and ver- Dutch station to be at an historically relevant oceanography was inspired by the recent tical intensity, and had been made by Olland location, such as Spitsbergen. As the Dutch Challenger-expedition; they were the best Government refused support, he had to turn that were available. The area of research was tuned to that of Vøringen. Meteorology and oceanography were in harmony with the as- pirations of the International Meteorologi- cal Organisation, established in 1873 under the presidency of Buys Ballot, to further in- ternational cooperation.53 The results were published by Buys Ballot’s internationally respected Meteorological Institution and the Geographic Society. The same can be said about terrestrial mag- netism; the instruments and the programme were similar to those on contemporary Arc- tic expeditions.54 Thanks to Buys Ballot, Van Rijckevorsel and Snellen, Lieutenant Speel- man was trained in working with the instru- ments; his report and data were published by the Geographic Society. The voyage seemed a promise for the future, but success of expedi- tions such as of Willem Barents depends on their continuity. Later Voyages of the Willem Barents After 1878 Willem Barents made six more summer voyages to the Arctic, the last was in Fig. 5 Dr Maurits Snellen observing with a uniflar magnetometer (not the one that belonged 1884.55 i e the frst e e ition the re orts to Van Rijckevorsel) on the ice, during the International Polar Year of 1882-83. Photo Dr H. and results of the 1879 voyage were published Ekama, courtesy Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. no. S.1525(14)01.
34 Bulletin of the Scientifc Instrument Society No. 143 (2019) to the public for funding. By the time there The Meteorological Instruments Notes and References was enough money to commit the Nether- 17. One gimballed mercury barometer with a 1. Willem F.J. Mörzer Bruyns, ‘The Dutch in lands to participate, historically-relevant, thermometer. the Arctic in the late 19th century’. in Polar easier to reach locations had been claimed 18. One aneroid barometer. Record, 23, issue 142 (1986), pp. 15-26. by other countries. The Dutch expedition, led by Snellen, was assigned to Port Dickson at 19. Seven thermometers in tin cases, for 2. Trevor H. Levere, ‘Magnetic Instruments the mouth of the Yenissei river in the Kara measuring the temperature of seawater. in the Canadian Arctic Expeditions of Frank- Sea, East of Novaya Zemlya.61 Because of 20. Four mercurial thermometers, measuring lin, Lefroy, and Nares’. in Annals of Science, ice con itions th t loc tion s li ely iff- to 35º C. 43 (1986), pp. 57-76. cult to reach, for which reason the schooner 21. Four alcohol thermometers, measuring 3. Ann Savours, The Search for the North Willem Barents was not put at the disposal of to 40º C. West Passage. (London: Chatham Publish- Buys Ballot, who was then forced to charter ing, 1999), 342 pp). 22. One psychrometer made by Remkes no. the Norwegian steamship Varna. In the Kara 151, Utrecht. 4. Margaret Deacon, Scientists and the Sea Sea Varna was locked in the ice, and started 1650-1900: A study of marine science. (Al- to leak. Crew and scientists set up camp on 23. One hair-hygrometer. dershot: Ashgate, 1997), pp. 333-65. the ice, where for twelve months the agreed- 24. One portable anemometer, design Mohn. 5. For example Flushing Head on the North on data were collected (see Fig. 5). 25. Two self-registering thermometers, coast of Spitsbergen that was renamed Cape design James Six, 1780. Varna sank in the Spring of 1883; the expedi- Bismarck by a German expedition, see W.F.J. tion reached safety on sledges, and eventu- The Instruments and Apparatus for Mörzer Bruyns, De eerste tocht van de Wil- ally the Netherlands. Although the observa- Oceanography lem Barents naar de Noordelijke IJszee 1878. tions were done faithfully, the results were 26. Eight deep-sea thermometers made by (Zutphen: Walburg Pers, 1985), vol.1, p. 124. not what was hoped for. The ice on which the Casella, London, design Miller, c. 1868. camp was set up was in continual motion so 6. For the navigating instruments among 27. Two deep-sea reversing thermometers that, unlike on land, the observations were these see Ernst Crone, ‘De vondst op Nova made by Negretti & Zambra, London. not done at exactly the same position. Zembla: Een hernieuwd onderzoek der navi- 28. Six glass hydrometers. gatie-instrumenten’. in Bulletin van het Rijks- Appendix 29. One stopcock-water-bottle, design museum, 14-2 (1966), pp. 71-85. The Instruments for Navigation, Buchanan. 7. L.R. Koolemans Beijnen, ‘De reis der Pan- Hydrography, etc. 30. One slip-water-bottle designed and made dora in den zomer van 1876’. in Bijblad van 1. One chronometer by D. McGregor & Co by Milne & Son, Edinburgh.64 het Tijdschrift van het Aardrijkskundig Ge- nootschap, 4 (1877), pp. 1-36. no. M | 2538 Greenock & Glasgow c. 1872; 31. o ter ottles m e y in uist 62 RNN no. 25 purchased in 1875. Stockholm, design Ekman, purchased in 8. For Jansen and Maury see Willem F.J. 2. One chronometer by A. de Casseres no. 1878. Mörzer Bruyns, ‘Matthew Fontaine Maury 567, Amsterdam; RNN no. 29 purchased in 32. One water-bottle, design Wille. and the Introduction of Oceanography to the 1877. Netherlands in de second half of the Nine- 33. One water-bottle, design Van Gogh, teenth Century’, in The American Neptune, 3. One chronometer by A. Hohwü no. 456, 1855.65 Amsterdam; RNN no. 56, purchased in 48, 1 (1988), pp. 44-9; Deacon (note 4), pp. 34. Two Fitzgerald sounders, design 1868. 1862. 293-97. 35. Two Hydra-sounders, design 1868. 4. One deck watch by F. Knebel no. 56, 9. The Dutchman Sir Helenus Marinus Speel- th Amsterdam ca. 1820; RNN no.74, purchased 36. One Royal Navy patent tube-lead. man (1852–1907) was the 6 Baronet. before 1832.63 37. One depth-sounder, design Harting. 10. e l ter rote the offci l re ort of the . ne re ectin circle m e y istor The Instruments for Terrestrial Magnetism66 voyage: L.R. Koolemans Beijnen, ‘Uitrust- Martins, Berlin, before 1873. 3 . ne unifl r m netometer m e y ing en reis van de Willem Barents’, Bijblad . ne re ectin h lf circle m e y istor Elliott Brothers no. 30, London, purchased van het Tijdschrift van het Aardrijkskundig & Martins, Berlin, before 1873. in 1873. Genootschap, 5 (1879), pp. 3-49. . ne rtifci l l c l ss hori on. 39. One Kew-pattern dip-circle made 11. Willem F.J. Mörzer Bruyns, ‘Photography in the Arctic, 1876-84: The Work of W.J.A. . ne rtifci l mercuri l hori on m e y by John Dover no. 61, Charlton, Kent, Grant’. Polar Record, 39, No. 209 (2003), pp. Harri, Amsterdam, design Achenbach. purchased in 1873. 123-30. 9. ne t in eor e s rtifci l mercuri l 40. One gimballed Fox dip-circle made by horizon. John Dover no. 37, Charlton, Kent, design 12. NN, ‘The Norwegian Deep-sea Exploring R.W. Fox, purchased in 1878. Expedition’. in The Nautical Magazine for 10. One patent sounding lead made by 1876, 45, 7 (1876), pp. 594-96. Edward Massey. 41. One arctic-shore dry azimuth-compass (landing compass) made by Dent & Co no. 13. Mörzer Bruyns (note 1), p. 21. 11. Two patent logs made by Edward 38911, London, purchased in 1878.67 Massey. 14. Anita McConnell, Geomagnetic Instru- 42. One gimballed intensity compass 12. One magnetic steering compass. ments before 1900: An Illustrated Account of made by Harri, Amsterdam, 1878, design their Construction and Use. (London: Harriet 13. Three spare compass cards for the Stamkart.68 Wynter Ltd., 1980), p. 1. steering compass. 43. One azimuth-compass made by 15. Koolemans Beijnen (note 10), p. 12. 14. One azimuth-compass. Breithaupt & Son, Kassel.69 1 . o li ui m netic com sses. 16. Ibid., p. 8. 16. One ‘Day & Night’ telescope. 17. Mörzer Bruyns (note 5), pp. 148-9.
Bulletin of the Scientifc Instrument Society No. 143 (2019) 35 18. Letter from L.J. Harri, Amsterdam, 17 32. McConnell, (note 20), pp. 109-10. 55. Mörzer Bruyns (note 5), pp. 71-95. February 1879 to J.A.C. Oudemans, MS Uni- 33. Ibid., pp. 122-3; Gunnar Pipping, The 56. Sets were also used during the Interna- versiteitsmuseum Utrecht, no. UG 330. Chamber of Physics: Instruments in the Col- tional Polar Year, see De Vaudrey Heathcote 19. Christopher George, Description of a lections of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sci- & Armitage, ‘The German expeditions to Self-Replenishing Artifcial Horizon. (s.l.: ences, Stockholm. (Stoc holm lm ist Kingua Fiord (Cumberland Sound) and South H. Porter, 1876), 13 pp). On Captain George Wiksell, 1977), p. 70. Georgia Island (South Atlantic Ocean)’ & and the instrument maker Henry Porter see 34. De Bruijne (note 25), p. 59; De Bruijne ‘The Finnish Expedition to Sodankulä’. in https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/ob- (note 21), p. 63. (note 23), pp. 56-7 & pp. 42-3. jects/42223.html. 35. De Bruijne (note 21), pp. 63-4. 57. Veth also left because the Geographic So- 20. For Massey’s sounders see Anita Mc- ciety wanted to focus its resources on a major Connell, No Sea too Deep: The History of 36. Ibid., p.61, an accumulator consisted scientifc e e ition to the utch st In ies. Oceanographic Instruments. (Bristol: Adam of 15, one metre long elastic gutta-percha strands, when stretched out three metres long; 58. Mörzer Bruyns (note 1), pp. 21-2, the me- Hilger Ltd, 1982), pp. 28-9, for his logs see teorological data of 1880-81 were eventually A.J. Sharp, Distance Run: A History of the it acted as a spring between the run-out sound- ing-line and the ship, to brake sudden strain- published by the Meteorological Institution in Patent Ship-log. (Weymouth: Brassbounders, one volume, in 1883, those of 1882-84 voy- 1999), 175 pp). ing, and possible breaking of the line, due to the rolling or pitching of the vessel. ages never appeared. 21. See hereafter, and A. de Bruijne, ‘Wijze 37. J. van Gogh, De waarnemingen op den 59. For the later history of the schooner see waarop de waarnemingen hebben plaats ge- Angus B. Erskine, ‘Victor Campbell and Mi- had’. in Bijblad van het Tijdschrift van het oceaan, behartigd in Nederland. (s.l., 1855), 20 pp), contains a description and drawing of chael Barne in Svalbard: the 1914 voyage Aardrijkskundig Genootschap, 5 (1879), p. of Willem Barents’. Polar Record, 30, 173 63. the water-bottle. This was long before the in- novative voyage of Challenger. (1994), pp. 117-22. 22. The Belasting & Douane Museum, Rot- 60. Koninklijk (note 53), pp. 90-4. terdam, has a hydrometer by M.H. Remkes, 38. McConnell (note 20), pp. 88-9; McCon- Utrecht, dated 1868, inv. no. 01296; Rijks- nell (note 31), p. 31. 61. De Vaudrey Heathcote & Armitage, ‘The museum Boerhaave, Leiden has a thermom- 39. De Bruijne (note 25), p. 62. Dutch Expedition to Port Dickson’. in (note eter with the same name and date, inv. no. 23), pp. 37-8; Maurits Snellen, De Nederland- 40. McConnell (note 20), pp. 58-9. V25215. sche Pool-Expeditie 1882-83. (Utrecht: L.E. 41. De Bruijne (note 25), pp. 61-2. Bosch & Zoon, 1886), 164 pp). 23. N.H. de Vaudrey Heathcote & A. Armit- age, ‘The Norwegian Expedition to Bossekop 42. McConnell (note 20), pp. 107-8. 62. Now in the Marinemuseum, Den Helder, inv. no. F/005/008. (North Coast of Norway)’, Annals of the In- 43. Mörzer Bruyns (note 5), pp. 164, 167. ternational Geophysical Year (London: Per- 63. Now in Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amster- 44. Joanneke de Bruin & Lewis Peyenson, gamon Press, 1959), p. 64. dam, inv. no. A.5826. ‘”Gentleman Scientist”: Elie van Rijckevorsel 24. Jillian F. Austin & Anita McConnell, and the Dutch Overseas Effort in Exact Sci- 64. Now in Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amster- ‘James Six F.R.S.- Two Hundred Years of the ences at the End of the Nineteenth Century’, dam, inv. no. S.5250. Six’s Self-registering Thermometer’. Notes Annals of Science, 43 (1986), pp. 447-73. 65. Improved examples made by H. Olland and Records of the Royal Society of London are in Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, 35, 1 (1980), pp. 49-65. 45. Alexandra Gaba-van Dongen et al, eds, Wie veel omhelst houdt weinig vast: Elie van inv. no. S.0049 (04), and the Royal Nether- 25. Meteorologische waarnemingen en Diep- Rijckevorsel 1845-1928. (Rotterdam: Eras- lands Meteorological Institution, De Bilt. zeeloodingen Gedaan aan Boord van ‘De Wil- musstichting, 2011), pp. 73-86. 66. The nos. 38-41 belonged to Van Rijck- lem Barents’. Kommandant A. de Bruijne in evorsel, nos. 38-40 now belong to the Royal de Spitsbergen- en Barendsz-zee in den Zomer 46. H.M. Speelman, ’Verslag der magnetische Netherlands Meteorological Institution, De van 1878 (Utrecht: Koninklijk Nederlandsch waarnemingen’, Bijblad van het Tijdschrift Bilt, on loan to Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Meteorologisch Instituut, 1879), 51 pp); A. van het Aardrijkskundig Genootschap, 5 Amsterdam, inv. no. RB.399 (1-3). The RNN de Bruijne, ‘Verslag van den commandant A. (1879), p. 66. took over no. 41 from Van Rijckevorsel; its de Bruijne, hoofdzakelijk bevattende mete- 47. Ibid., pp. 66-71. present whereabouts is not known. orologische en temperatuurwaarnemingen’, 48. McConnell (note 14), p. 63. Bijblad van het Tijdschrift van het Aardrijk- 67. The National Maritime Museum, Green- skundig Genootschap, 5 (1879), pp. 50-9. 49. Ibid., pp. 55-6. wich, London, has an unsigned example, inv. no. NAV0271. 26. Mörzer Bruyns (note 1), p. 19. 50. Speelman (note 46), pp. 67-8. 68. Now in Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Amster- 27. De Bruijne (note 21), p. 62. 51. F.J. Stamkart, Theorie van het intensitei- ts-kompas en van zijn gebruik op ijzeren en dam, inv. no. RB.0468 (01). The prototype, 28. McConnell (note 20), pp. 97-8. houten schepen. (Amsterdam: Koninklijke made by Wed. G. Hulst van Keulen, Amster- 29. De Bruijne (note 25), pp. 58-59; De Brui- Akademie van Wetenschappen, 1859), 39 pp). dam, is in Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, Leiden, jne (note 21), p. 63. inv.no. A.17 (Obs). 52. Speelman (note 46), pp. 66-7. 30. McConnell (note 20), pp. 95-7; De Brui- 69. Now in Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, Leiden, 53. Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch jne (note 21), p. 63. inv. no. A.123. Instituut 1854-1954. (The Hague: Staatsuitge- 31. McConnell (note 20), p. 130; Anita Mc- verij, 1954), pp. 100-1. Author’s e-mail address: Connell, Historical Instruments in Ocean- [email protected] 54. Compare for example Levere (note 2), and ography. ( on on . . St tion ry ffce De Vaudrey Heathcote & Armitage in (note 1981), pp. 35-6. 23), pp. 67-9.
36 Bulletin of the Scientifc Instrument Society No. 143 (2019)