From olden times the Pomors (Russian inhabitants of the White Sea and Arctic Ocean coasts) have been engaged in offshore operations near Novaya Zemlya Archipelago which they called Matka. However, exact maps of the islands did not exist until the 19th century due to the complexity of navigation in northern waters. To perform this job and patrol the northern borders of Russia, the keel of Brig of War Novaya Zemlya was laid down at the Solombala Shipyard of Arkhangelsk in 1817 and the ship was heaved off 2 years later. She was built according to a special design with due regard to the particularities of both Barents and Kara Seas. The time of real icebreakers had not come yet by then, but the brig’s hull had already been strengthened with an additional protection against floes.
The ship with cargo carrying capacity of 200 tons was 25,4 m long, 6,1 m wide and had a draft of up to 1,32 m. The ordnance consisted of 16 3-pounder guns, but during her Arctic expeditions 6 guns only were left on board, and the space that became available was filled with stores. The first attempt to pass the archipelago on the northern side and map its coastline out was made in 1819. The expedition was led by the younger brother of Antarctica discoverer Mikhail Lazarev, Andrei. But he was out of luck: the ship was icebound; sea scurvy broke out among the crew. The brig returned to Arkhangelsk and patrolled the coast of Kola Peninsula all the year.
In 1821 the brig was commissioned to Fyodor Litke who had already had considerable experience of Arctic voyages by the time. The vessel under his command made 4 expeditions to Novaya Zemlya. During the first one the coasts of Yugorsky Strait were mapped out and Matochkin Strait separating Severny Island of Novaya Zemlya from its Yuzhny Island, was explored. A shoreline survey of Kara Strait was carried out then with gradual advance higher and higher to the north.
The pilot on the brig was Matvey Gerasimov, a Kola bourgeois and hero of the 1810 Anglo-Russian War. The British squadron captured his ship with cargo of grain but the Pomor managed to lead the vessel away to Norwegian coasts. For this deed he was awarded the Cross of George the Victory-bearer.
Voyages of Novaya Zemlya once and for all reserved for Russia the possession of the archipelago. After 1824 the brig did not make long voyages anymore but performed patrol duty on Northern Dvina and off Mudyug Island. And in 1841 the ramshackle vessel was plainly disassembled.
The ship with cargo carrying capacity of 200 tons was 25,4 m long, 6,1 m wide and had a draft of up to 1,32 m. The ordnance consisted of 16 3-pounder guns, but during her Arctic expeditions 6 guns only were left on board, and the space that became available was filled with stores. The first attempt to pass the archipelago on the northern side and map its coastline out was made in 1819. The expedition was led by the younger brother of Antarctica discoverer Mikhail Lazarev, Andrei. But he was out of luck: the ship was icebound; sea scurvy broke out among the crew. The brig returned to Arkhangelsk and patrolled the coast of Kola Peninsula all the year.
In 1821 the brig was commissioned to Fyodor Litke who had already had considerable experience of Arctic voyages by the time. The vessel under his command made 4 expeditions to Novaya Zemlya. During the first one the coasts of Yugorsky Strait were mapped out and Matochkin Strait separating Severny Island of Novaya Zemlya from its Yuzhny Island, was explored. A shoreline survey of Kara Strait was carried out then with gradual advance higher and higher to the north.
The pilot on the brig was Matvey Gerasimov, a Kola bourgeois and hero of the 1810 Anglo-Russian War. The British squadron captured his ship with cargo of grain but the Pomor managed to lead the vessel away to Norwegian coasts. For this deed he was awarded the Cross of George the Victory-bearer.
Voyages of Novaya Zemlya once and for all reserved for Russia the possession of the archipelago. After 1824 the brig did not make long voyages anymore but performed patrol duty on Northern Dvina and off Mudyug Island. And in 1841 the ramshackle vessel was plainly disassembled.
