What was HMS Resolution and why was it famous?

HMS Resolution was a Royal Navy sloop and converted merchant collier used by Captain James Cook for his second and third Pacific exploration voyages. Highly regarded by Cook as the ship of his choice, it achieved the milestone of being the first vessel to cross both the Arctic and Antarctic circles. Originally known as the Marquis of Granby or HMS Drake, the ship left a lasting legacy, even inspiring geographic features named after its crew.

What we know

• HMS Resolution was originally a merchant collier purchased by the Navy and adapted for exploration. [1, 2]
• Captain James Cook used HMS Resolution for his second and third voyages of exploration in the Pacific. [2]
• HMS Resolution was the first vessel to cross both the Arctic and Antarctic circles. [2]
• Captain James Cook called HMS Resolution "the ship of my choice" and the fittest for service he had ever seen. [2]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Captain James Cook?
• whenWhat were the discoveries of Cook's second voyage?
• how it workedHow do converted colliers perform as exploration ships?
• whereWhere is the Joseph Gilbert Seamount located?
• the bigger pictureWhat other ships bore the name HMS Resolution?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a Cook's master connect to an underwater mountain?Joseph Gilbert Seamount in the Tasman Sea is named after Joseph Gilbert, who served as captain of HMS Resolution during James Cook's second voyage.

Sources

• [1]HMS Resolution (Wikidata Q1898494) · CC0 1.0
• [2]HMS Resolution (1771) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]HMS Resolution · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Krakatoa · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Joseph Gilbert Seamount · CC BY-SA 4.0