Francis Leopold McClintock, Irish admiral and explorer (d. 1907)
Sir Francis Leopold McClintock (8 July 1819 – 17 November 1907) was an Irish explorer in the British Royal Navy, known for his discoveries in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. He confirmed explorer John Rae's controversial report gathered from Inuit sources on the fate of Franklin's lost expedition, the ill-fated Royal Navy undertaking commanded by Sir John Franklin in 1845 attempting to be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage.
McClintock's report was received more favorably than that of Rae, who was shunned and denied recognition for having discovered the lost expedition's fate. Rae's report ultimately guided McClintock to the correct area to conduct a search. McClintock also stirred controversy with his claim that Franklin, before his death, had essentially discovered the Northwest Passage, while in reality he had not. Rae, with his discovery of Rae Strait, had discovered the real ice-free passage through North America's Arctic archipelago.
1819Jul, 8
Francis Leopold McClintock
Choose Another Date
Events on 1819
- 19Feb
South Shetland Islands
British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands and claims them in the name of King George III. - 1Jul
Great Comet of 1819
Johann Georg Tralles discovers the Great Comet of 1819, (C/1819 N1). It was the first comet analyzed using polarimetry, by François Arago. - 7Aug
Battle of Boyacá
Simón Bolívar triumphs over Spain in the Battle of Boyacá.