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Scarce and Interesting 19th Century Review on the Following Book
Author:
BURNEY, Captain James.
Title:
A Memoir on the Geography of the North-Eastern part of Asia, and on
the Question whether Asia and America are Contiguous, or are Separted
by the Sea - (A Review)
Publisher: London: The Quarterly Review, 1818.
Notes:A passionate and occasionally scathing contemporary analysis on
Burney's important book, which was published in 1818.
Captain James Burney's journal entries whilst aboard the Discovery (1779)
serve as the springboard for editor and Second Secretary of the Admiralty,
Barrow's own vociferously argued and intransigent opinions about the Arctic,
the incontrovertible reality of the North West Passage's existence and its
assured navigability.
Passionate exponent of exploration and popular reviewer of the Quarterly Review,
John Barrow, maximises his opportunity to engage the public's enthusiasm in a
prospective exploratory expedition to the Arctic, through the pages of this report.
At issue is what Barrow describes as heresy in Burney's following statement:
Excerpt from the text:
"A belief has prevailed for nearly a century, that the separation of America
and Asia has been demonstrated by an actual navigation performed; and it is
distinctly so admitted in the charts. It is proposed to shew in this Memoir,
in the first place, that there does not exist satisfactory proof of such a
separation; and secondlt, that from peculiarities which have been observed,
there is cause to suppose the fact to be otherwise; that is to say, that Asia
and America are contiguous, and parts of one and the same continent. This is
not an opinion newly formed, but one which many years ago was impressed on other
persons as well as myself, by circumstances witnessed when in the sea to the
north of Behring's Strait, with Captain Cook, in his last voyage."
End Excerpt.
Barrow refers to observations in 'Coxe's Russian Discoveries' regarding
Deschnew's Arctic voyage as support for his beliefs and, with exaggerated
incredulity, jettisons the remainder of Burney's arguments. Confidently,
he draws upon Cook's observations of the Behring Strait, points to the
accounts of Russian explorer Andreanoff, and traces the waters of the
Pacific through Behring's Strait, along the two shores of the polar basin,
down Davis' Strait and the sea of Spitzbergen into the Atlantic - to emphasize
his beliefs.
Such was Barrow's persuasiveness that in 1818 he managed to secure permission
for two naval expeditions: one headed by John Ross and William Parry - their
remit to attempt the North West Passage - the other, under David Buchan and
John Franklin, to try for the North Pole.
A rare and special item to pair with the collector's copy of the book!
Condition:
28 pages. Book review. Excellent condition,
attractively bound in blue paper covers with label.
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