Famous Ships and Boats in History

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British/English Ships of Exploration and Research

Beagle, HMS — English sloop, or brig-sloop, two-masted
She carried Charles Darwin on his historic expedition beginning in 1831. Robert FitzRoy was captain during the historic round-the-world trip. In 1845 the Beagle was refitted as a static coast guard watch vessel. LAUNCHED: 1820, May 18 → FATE: Sold for scrap in 1870.

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Calypso, RV — American minesweeper built for the British; refitted for research
Oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau sailed her as a mobile laboratory for field research. During World War II she served as a minesweeper and carried advanced equipment, including mini submarines. LAUNCHED: 1941, March 21, converted in 1950 → FATE: Sank in 1996, raised, neglected, and now being restored in Brittany.

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Challenger, HMS — British corvette; steam-assisted
Undertook the first global marine research expedition. She was the flagship of the Australia Station between 1866 and 1870. LAUNCHED: 1858, February 18 → FATE: Broken up for her copper end in England in January, 1921.

Discovery — British three-masted barque
The ship that carried Scott and Shackleton on their first successful journey to the Antarctic. She was locked in the ice of the Antarctic for two years. The ship was eventually freed in February, 1904 by the use of controlled explosives. LAUNCHED: 1901, March 18 → FATE: Museum ship in Dundee, Scotland.

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Endeavour, HMS — British collier, three-masted; refitted in 1768 for the expedition
James Cook's ship during his voyage to explore the Pacific Ocean and Terra Australis Incognita. She became the first ship to reach the east coast of Australia at Botany Bay in April 1770, and went on to circumnavigate the world. LAUNCHED: 1764, June → FATE: Later renamed Lord Sandwich. Scuttled in a blockade of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, in 1778.

Golden Hind — English galleon
Second ship to circumnavigation of the globe between 1577 and 1580, captained by Sir Francis Drake. Several replicas were built, the latest the Golden Hinde lauched in 1973. LAUNCHED: 1576, probably → FATE: In dry dock at Deptford, England as a museum piece, rotted away after decades around 1650.

Investigator, HMS — British collier, then in 1801 converted to a survey ship.
The first ship to circumnavigate Australia. The Royal Navy sold her in 1810 and she returned to mercantile service under the name Xenophon. LAUNCHED: 1795 → FATE: Broken up about 1872.

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Matthew — English caravel
Sailed by John Cabot, first European to reach North America. Apparently, she was a small ship of fifty tons carrying twenty men and food for seven or eight months. LAUNCHED: 1496, or earlier; replica launched 1996 → FATE: Original ship, unknown; replica on display at M Shed Museum, Bristol, England.

Resolution, HMS — British Collier
The first ship to cross the Antarctic Circle reaching beyond latitude 71 degrees south. She was the ship on which Captain James Cook made his second and third voyages of exploration in the Pacific. LAUNCHED: 1770 → FATE: Taken by the French June 10, 1782, renamed La Liberté and ended up rotting in Narragansett Bay not far from Cook's other ship, Endeavour.

Terra Nova — British wooden-hulled barque
Serving in the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, best remembered for the death of Captain Scott and four companions. She was built for the Dundee whaling and sealing fleet, working 10 years in the annual seal fishery in the Labrador Sea. LAUNCHED: 1884 → FATE: Sank off the southwestern tip of Greenland September 13, 1943.

The number of British/English Ships of Exploration and Research listed is 10

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For a full list of all ships, select HERE

First Ship on each page
Page	Ship Name (Country and Type)
1.	Calypso, RV (American minesweeper)
2.	Matthew (English caravel)

British/English Ships of Exploration and Research
1.	Calypso, RV American minesweeper
2.	Challenger, HMS British corvette
3.	Discovery British barque
4.	Endeavour, HMS British collier
5.	Golden Hind English galleon
6.	Investigator, HMS British collier
7.	Matthew English caravel
8.	Resolution, HMS British Collier
9.	Terra Nova British wooden-hulled barque

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British/English Ships of Exploration and Research