Commander Markham found a very different state of things in 1873. The whaling fleet consisted of ten ships, the largest being the _Arctic_ of 439 tons. She made a very quick passage through Melville Bay, reaching the north water on June 9th. This enabled Commander Markham to visit Port Leopold, Fury Beach, and Prince Regent’s Inlet as far as Cape Garry, as well as to learn all the mysteries of the industry, and take his share in the pursuit and capture of whales. The _Arctic_ returned after the capture of twenty-eight whales, yielding nearly 15 tons of bone and 265 tons of oil, worth £18,925. The publication of Commander Markham’s most interesting narrative much increased the feeling in favour of Arctic enterprise. The battle had indeed been a hard and long-contested one, but victory was in sight. On November 17th, 1874, the Prime Minister, Lord Beaconsfield, announced that the Government would despatch an Arctic expedition for the encouragement of maritime enterprise, and for the exploration of the region round the North Pole. Nothing could be more satisfactory. We had deprecated a mere rush to the Pole itself as useless, but we had been constantly urging the exploration of the region round the Pole for twelve long years. But the matter passed into the hands of the Admiralty, and all our arguments, supported by those of the various learned Societies, were totally disregarded. It was announced that the main object of the expedition was to attain the highest latitude and, if possible, to reach the North Pole! Fortunately, Sir Leopold M’Clintock was the Admiral Superintendent at Portsmouth dockyard, where the expedition was fitted out, Dr Lyall and Mr Lewis of the _Assistance_ (1852–54) being responsible for the provisions. The _Alert_, a 17-gun sloop, was strengthened and prepared for Arctic service[147]; and by my advice a sealer, built at Dundee in 1873 and named the _Bloodhound_, was purchased for the second ship. She was the best possible model for a vessel for Arctic service[148]. Captain Nares, who had served on board the _Resolute_ in 1852–54, when he was in charge of Mecham’s depôt sledge, was recalled from the _Challenger_ to take command of the expedition. The Captain of the second ship was Captain Stephenson, Albert Markham being Commander of the _Alert_, and Lewis Beaumont first lieutenant of the _Bloodhound_, whose name was changed to the _Discovery_. The officers Aldrich, May, Parr, Giffard, Egerton, Archer, Rawson, and Conybeare, nearly all attained distinction in after life, thanks to an Arctic training. Captain Feilden was the naturalist of the _Alert_, Mr Hart of the _Discovery_. The surgeons were Drs Colan and Moss in the _Alert_, Ninnis and Coppinger with Captain Stephenson.