This historic engraving was published in George William Anderson's "A New , Authentic , and Complete Account of Voyages Round the World, Undertaken and Performed by Royal Authority..." - see scan of cover page, not included. The work was published in London by Alexander Hogg between 1784 and 1786

The engraving is entitled as follows:

"View of the Race Horse & Carcass (under the command of Ld. Mulgrave & Cape. Lutwyche) Inclosed in the Ice in Lat.80.37N. when prosecuting their Celebrated Expedition to the North Pole" - see below. At this point the ships were near Spitsbergen, Norway. Horatio Nelson was a midshipman on board HMS Carcass

Good condition printed on hand-laid paper - see scan. Page size 15.5 x 10 inches. 

This is an original engraving and not a reproduction

See more engravings from this publication in Seller's Other Items which can be combined for mailing

Skeffington Lutwidge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the barrister, photographer and Commissioner in Lunacy, see Robert Wilfred Skeffington Lutwidge.
Skeffington Lutwidge
Skeffington Lutwidge, by Philip Jean.jpg
Skeffington Lutwidge, by Philip Jean
Born13 March 1737
Died15/16 August 1814
Holmrook
Allegiance Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service– 1814
RankAdmiral of the Red
Commands heldHMS Cholmondely
HMS Carcass
HMS Triton
HMS Yarmouth
HMS Perseverance
HMS Scipio
HMS Terrible
Nore Command
The Downs
Battles/warsSiege of Fort Ticonderoga
Battle of Cape St. Vincent

Admiral Skeffington Lutwidge (13 March 1737 – 15/16 August 1814) was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He had a particular connection with Horatio Nelson, who served under Lutwidge as a midshipman on an expedition to the Arctic in HMS Carcass in 1773, and again in 1801 while a captain, when Lutwidge was commander in chief in the Downs. Lutwidge served for a considerable period and in a number of ships, in American waters during the War of Independence. During this time he captured a number of American privateers, and was involved in operations on Lake Champlain. He reached flag rank soon after the start of the French Revolutionary Wars, and served mainly in Home waters as commander in chief of some of the stations on the south coast. He retired from active service with the rank of admiral, and died in 1814, shortly before the end of the Napoleonic Wars. He was the great-uncle of Lewis Carroll.

Early life

Lutwidge was born on 13 March 1737, the son of Thomas Lutwidge of Whitehaven and his second wife Lucy nee Hoghton.[1] Lutwidge embarked on a career in the Navy, and is listed as a lieutenant in 1763, taking command of the purchased cutter HMS Cholmondely in April that year.[2] He remained with her until 1765, serving in the area of Liverpool.[2]

Arctic voyage

'View of the Racehorse and Carcass 7 August 1773, when inclosed in the ice in Lat. 80° 37′ N. Engraved for Payne's Universal Geography Vol V Page 481', Page; after John Cleveley

Lutwidge, by now a commander, commissioned the bomb vessel HMS Carcass in June 1771, and served in the Irish Sea until the Carcass was paid off in April 1773.[3] The Carcass was then refitted at Sheerness between March and April for a voyage to the Arctic, with Lutwidge retaining command. The expedition, under the overall command of Constantine Phipps, who commanded HMS Racehorse, sailed from the Nore on 10 June 1773.[4] The expedition sailed up to and around Spitsbergen, managing to reach within ten degrees of the North Pole, but was prevented from travelling further north by thick sea ice, and returned to Britain in September.[5] Sailing with the Carcass was a young Horatio Nelson, whose position as a midshipman on the expedition had been arranged by his uncle, Maurice Suckling.[6] Suckling and Lutwidge knew each other well, Lutwidge having served under Suckling on a number of occasions, including time spent acting against privateers in 1771.[7] Nelson was given the role of coxswain of Lutwidge's gig.[8][9] Nelson managed to obtain command of the Carcass's cutter as the expedition progressed.[10]

Nelson and the bear

By 1800 Lutwidge began to circulate a story that while the ship had been trapped in the ice, Nelson had seen and pursued a polar bear, before being ordered to return to the ship. Lutwidge's later version, in 1809, reported that Nelson and a companion had given chase to the bear, but on being questioned why, replied that "I wished, Sir, to get the skin for my father."[11] Nelson referred to Lutwidge as 'that good old man'.[7]