Captain James Cook, R.N. Statue - Victoria, British Columbia
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 48° 25.304 W 123° 22.126
10U E 472716 N 5363241
The statue of Captain James Cook in Victoria, BC, Canada was unveiled by the Honourable William Richards Bennett, Premier of the Province of British Columbia, July 12, 1976.
Waymark Code: WM108PD
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 03/22/2019
Views: 9
A statue of Captain James Cook was commissioned to celebrate his visit to Vancouver, BC on his third and final voyage in March of 1778. The bronze plaque attached to the front of the base is inscribed:
CAPT. JAMES COOK, R.N.
1728-1779
AFTER TWO HISTORIC VOYAGES TO THE SOUTH
PACIFIC, COOK WAS CRUISING THE WATERS OF THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON HIS THIRD AND FINAL
VOYAGE WITH HIS TWO SHIPS, RESOLUTION AND
DISCOVERY. HE WAS SEARCHING FOR THE WEST-
ERN EXIT TO THE LEGENDARY NORTHWEST
PASSAGE. IN MARCH 1778, THEY PUT INTO
NOOTKA SOUND FOR REPAIRS AND TO TRADE
WITH THE NATIVE PEOPLE. WITH HIM ON THE
VOYAGE WERE MR. WILLIAM BLIGH AS MASTER
OF THE RESOLUTION AND MIDSHIPMAN GEORGE
VANCOUVER.
THIS STATUE WAS COMMISSIONED BY
THE VICTORIA ENVIRONMENTAL
ENHANCEMENT FOUNDATION.
AND UNVEILED BY
THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM RICHARDS BENNETT
PREMIER OF THE PROVINCE OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
JULY 12, 1976
|
James Cook was on November 7, 1728 (N.S.) in the village of Marton in Yorkshire, England. As a teenager studied algebra, geometry, trigonometry, navigation, and astronomy as a merchant ship apprentice. He rose through the merchant navy ranks and in 1755 joined the British Royal Navy as an able seaman and, in 1757, a master's mate aboard the HMS Eagle.
During the Seven Years' War, he served in North America and participated in the capture the Fortress of Louisbourg from the French, the siege of Quebec City, and the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. Thereafter, because of his talent surveying and cartography, he was assigned to map the coast of Newfoundland. The success in this endeavor led to his assignment to command a scientific voyage to the Pacific Ocean aboard the Royal Navy research vessel HMS Endeavor.
Between 1768 and 1779 he made three voyages of discovery throughout the Pacific Ocean. He was killed in a skirmish with native Hawaiians on February 14, 1779 and was formally buried at sea.