Add
To This, That She Is Built Of Iron, - That Is To Say, An
Iron Sheet Of About Two Centimbtres Thick Constitutes
All Her Planking, - And That Her Deck - Divided Into Twelve
Great Panels, Is So Weak That It Has Been Thought Incapable
Of Carrying Guns Proportioned To Her Tonnage.
Those who
have seen the massive vessels of the fishermen of Peterhead,
their enormous outside planking, their bracings and
Fastenings in wood and in iron, and their internal knees
and stancheons, may form an idea from such
precautions - imposed by long experience of the nature of
the dangers that the shock - or even the pressure of the
ice - may cause to a ship in the latitudes that we were
going to explore.
The 'Cocyte' had also been placed at the disposal of
H.I.H. Prince Napoleon. This vessel which arrived at
Reykjavik the same day that we did, the 30th of June - is
a steam schooner, with paddles, standing the sea well,
carying coals for twelve days, but with a deplorably slow
rate of speed.
We found besides at Reykjavik the war transport 'La
Perdrix' and two English merchant steamers, the 'Tasmania
and the 'Saxon,' freighted by the Admiralty to take to
Iceland coals necessary for our voyage to Greenland.
These five vessels, with the frigate 'Artemise,' which
performed he duties of guardship, formed the largest
squadron which had ever assembled in the harbour of the
capital of Iceland.
Unfortunately, these varied and numerous elements had
nothing in common, and Commodore de la Ronciere soon saw
that extraneous help would afford us no additional
security; and, in short, that the 'Refine Bortense' -
obliged to go fast - as her short supplies would not allow
long voyages, had to reckon on herself alone.
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