| 1764-1766 |
John Byron's Circumnavigation of the Globe
John Byron was instructed to survey and take possession of the Falkland Islands and to search the northwest American coast for a northwest passage.
Ships: Dolphin and Tamar |
| 1766-1768 |
Samuel Wallis' Circumnavigation of the Globe
Ships: Dolphin, Swallow (separated during bad weather), and Prince Frederick (sent home) |
| 1768-1771 |
James Cook's First Voyage
James Cook was instructed to proceed to Tahiti to observe the transit of Venus and to look for what was referred to as the "great southern continent" while exploring the Pacific. Ship: Endeavour |
| 1772-1775 |
James Cook's Second Voyage
Ships: Resolution and Adventure |
| 1773-1773 |
Constantine Phipps' Voyage to the Arctic
Ships: Racehorse and Carcass |
| 1776-1780 |
James Cook's Third Voyage
Ships: Resolution and Discovery |
| 1785-1788 |
Jean-François de Galaup de La Pérouse's Voyage
Ships: Boussole (wrecked) and Astrolabe (wrecked) |
| 1787-1789 |
Voyage of the Bounty
William Bligh was instructed to proceed to the Pacific to collect breadfruit trees. The trees were to be transported to the West Indies, where the fruit would be used as food for the slaves. Ship: Bounty (taken over by mutineers) |
| 1791-1795 |
George Vancouver's Voyage to the North Pacific Ocean
George Vancouver was instructed to proceed to Nootka Sound to oversee the transfer of territory from Spanish to British hands under the terms of the Nootka Convention. He was also ordered to survey the northwest coast of America north of 30° N latitude along with other areas in the Pacific. Ships: Discovery, Chatham and Daedalus (sent home). |
| 1791-1793 |
William Bligh's Second Breadfruit Voyage
Once again, William Bligh was instructed to proceed to Tahiti to collect breadfruit trees for transport to the West Indies. Ships: Providence and Assistant |
| 1815-1818 |
Romanzov Exploring Expedition/
Otto von Kotzebue's First Circumnavigation of the Globe
Ships: Rurik and Nadesha |
| 1816-1816 |
Exploration of the Congo
James Tuckey was instructed to proceed up the Congo as far as possible and collect information about everything he encountered along the way. Ships: Congo and Dorothea (sent home). |
| 1817-1820 |
Louis-Claude Desaules de Freycinet's Circumnavigation of the Globe
Ships: L'Uranie (wrecked off the Falkland Islands) and La Physicienne (purchased by Freycinet after the wreck of L'Uranie) |
| 1818-1818 |
John Ross' Arctic Expedition
John Ross was instructed to explore Baffin Bay and search for the Northwest Passage. Ships: Isabella, Alexander, Dorothea, and Trent |
| 1819-1820 |
William Edward Parry's First Voyage
Ships: Hecla and Griper |
| 1819-1822 |
John Franklin's First Overland Expedition
|
| 1821-1823 |
William Edward Parry's Second Voyage
William Edward Parry was instructed to search for the Northwest Passage. Ships: Fury and Hecla |
| 1823-1826 |
Otto von Kotzebue's Second Circumnavigation of the Globe
Ship: Predpriatie |
| 1825-1827 |
John Franklin's Second Overland Expedition
|
| 1826-1829 |
Jules-Sébastien-César Dumont d'Urville's First Circumnavigation of the Globe
Ship: Astrolabe |
| 1831-1836 |
Voyage of the Beagle with Charles Darwin
Ship: Beagle |
| 1837-1840 |
Jules-Sébastien-César Dumont d'Urville's Second Circumnavigation of the Globe
Ships: Astrolabe and Zélée |
| 1838-1842 |
United States Exploring Expedition (U.S. Ex. Ex.)
Ships: Vincennes, Peacock (wrecked and replaced by the Oregon), Porpoise, Relief (sent home), Sea Gull (disappeared), and Flying Fish (sold) |
| 1845-1848 |
John Franklin's Last Expedition
John Franklin was instructed to search for the Northwest Passage. Ships: Erebus (lost) and Terror (lost) |
| 1850-1851 |
First Grinnell Expedition
Edwin Jesse De Haven was instructed to search for John Franklin's lost expedition. Naval expedition financed by Henry Grinnell. Ships: Advance and Rescue. |
