Novara-Expedition

The Novara Expedition ( 1857-59 ) was the first and only large-scale Weltumsegelungsmission the Austrian Navy. Worldwide known it was later published as a bestseller in several languages ​​Reports on the scientific results of the trip.

Travel History

The trip was organized by the heavy frigate Novara under the command of Commodore Bernhard von Wüllerstorf - Urbair, which had been converted for this purpose. The guided, inter alia, of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna and prepared by qualified scholars as the geologist Ferdinand von Hochstetter and the zoologist Georg von Frauenfeld research trip zeitigte internationally acclaimed results. The expedition was also the first circumnavigation of a German-speaking guided the ship.

The frigate left Trieste April 30, 1857, was initially towed due to slowdown in the Strait of Messina and then sailed via Gibraltar, Madeira, Rio de Janeiro to the Cape of Good Hope. In the Indian Ocean, the expedition visited from 19 November to 6 December 1857, the islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam. It was then Ceylon and Madras to Singapore. Next stops on the trip were Java, Manila, Hong Kong, Shanghai and the Solomon Islands. On November 5, 1858 arrival was in Sydney, where Auckland and Tahiti were started. The return journey was over and Valparaiso around Cape Horn or the Azores. On August 26, 1859 after 51 686 nautical miles had been covered to 551 days under sail, the Novara ran after the round the world again in a Trieste.

First-time studies, in particular on the St. Paul Island, the Nicobar Islands and New Zealand created the foundations for future geological research. First geological mapping and reservoir studies by Hochstetter, who remained in New Zealand until October 1859, gave the starting point for intensive geoscientific research in this country. Hochstetter separated thereby from the expedition, which was agreed between the Governor George Edward Grey and the expedition leader, and later traveled an exploration of Australian gold fields in January 1860 alone to Europe.

The oceanographic research, particularly in the South Pacific, revolutionizing oceanography and hydrography. The collections brought to botanical, zoological ( 26,000 specimens ) and ethnographic material enriched the Austrian museums (especially the Museum of Natural History ). The statements made throughout the course of the expedition geomagnetic observations increased the scientific knowledge vital in this field. Finally, it allowed the carrying of leaves of the coca bush in 1860, for the first time represent pure cocaine.

The scientific results of the trip were published in a 21- volume work of the Vienna Academy of Sciences, the Austrian frigate Novara travel around the earth ( 1861-1876 ), the first part a description of the journey (3 volumes, edited by Karl von Scherzer 1861 -1862 ), illustrated with many woodcuts, was. Under the same title also shortened two-volume " popular edition " which was sold out within a year appeared. In addition, results were published in the meeting reports of the Imperial Academy of Sciences.

There has been little described the controversial political background of the trip, the possible colonization of the time located in Danish owned Nicobar Islands. This aspect has been largely neglected in the relevant publications after considerable upheaval in the monarchy. Only the book published in 2010 verbose about it.

The scientific work of travel

• Descriptive part: ( Karl von Scherzer, anonymous) of the Austrian frigate Novara travel around the earth, in the years 1857-1859 under the command of Commodore example of Wüllersstorf - Urbair. 3 volumes. Vienna, 1861, 1862.

• Nautical- Physical part: . Geographical position determinations and flood observations - Magnetic observations. 1 band. Vienna 1862-65

• Statistically - commerzieller part: 2 volumes. Vienna in 1864, 1865 (2nd verb. Edition in 1 vol Leipzig, Vienna, Brockhaus 1867)

• Zoologischer part: 6 volumes Volume 1: Vertebrates: J. Zelebor, mammals; August von Pelzeln, birds; F. Steindachner, reptiles; F. Steindachner, amphibians; Rudolf Kner, fish. Vienna 1867-1869
• Volume 2: entomology. L. Redtenbacher, Coleoptera; H. de Saussure, Hymenoptera; G. L. Mayr, Formicidae; F. Brauer, Neuroptera. Vienna 1868
• Volume 3: J. R. Schiner, Diptera; G. L. Mayr, Hemiptera. Vienna 1868
• Volume 4: C. Heller, Crustacea; E. Grube, annelids; Georg von Frauenfeld, mollusks.
• Volume 5: C. Fields, Rhopalocera.
• 6 Band: C. Fields, Lepidoptera.

• Botanical Theil: Volume 1 (more not published ): spore plants: A. Grunow, Algae; A. Huber of clutter, lichens; HW Reichardt, Fungi, Musci, Hepaticae et frondosi; G. Mettenius, Cryptogamae vasculares; Julius Milde, Ophioglosseae and Equisetaceae. Vienna 1870

• Medical part: Volume 1 (more not published ) v. Edward Black, Vienna 1861

• Anthropological part: 3 volumes Volume 1: E. Zuckerkandl, crânien. Vienna 1875
• Volume 2: A. Weisbach, body measurements. Vienna 1867
• Volume 3: Friedrich Müller: ethnography. Vienna 1868

• Linguistic part: 1 band. Friedrich Müller, Vienna 1867.

• Geological part: 2 volumes. Volume 1: Geological part. Ferdinand von Hochstetter. Vienna 1864 ( digitized )
• Volume 2: paleontological part edited by F. von Hochstetter, Moritz Hoernes and Franz Ritter von Hauer. Vienna 1865

Museale reception

The Novara expedition represents the first circumnavigation of an Austrian warship represents and is therefore in the Marine Hall of Vienna's Museum of Military History documented, including by watercolor studies of the painter Joseph Selleny, who took part in the trip and countless impressions held in watercolor studies. Furthermore, a model of the SMS Novara in scale 1:75 is issued.