| Abstract: | The discovery of America led to dreams of a westerly route to India and China from Europe by way of its most northerly extension. Evidence for the existence of such a route was laboriously collected by explorers from the time of Frobisher in the late 16th century but not until 1903-6 was a full west-to-east passage effected, by Roald Amundsen. Today, interest in the Northwest Passage has been stimulated by the discovery of oil and gas in far northern latitudes and new technology is facilitating commercial voyages in these exceptionally inhospitable waters. |
