THE NORTH-EAST PASSAGE. 7 



in his project. They undertook to defray the ex- 

 penses of the expedition. Afterwards aid was ob- 

 tained also from the Swedish Government, who 

 liberally allowed 1500 for the repairing of the ship 

 to be used by the expedition, and permitted the work 

 to be executed at the Eoyal Dockyards at Carlscrona. 

 The Government also made an allowance of Is. 6d. 

 per diem in addition to the regulation pay. 1 



The steam-ship Vega was bought for the expedi- 

 tion from a Swedish Sealing Company for the sum 

 of 8500. The Vega is a barque - rigged steamer, 

 built in 1872 for seal and whale fishing in the Arc- 

 tic seas, and consequently, the exigencies of ice 

 navigation have been duly considered in her con- 

 struction. The vessel is 500 tons bxirthen ; and its 

 dimensions are, extreme length, 150 ft. ; breadth, 

 29 ft. ; depth of hold, 16 ft. It is provided with 

 an engine of 60 horse-power, on "Woolf's principle, 

 which gives the vessel a speed of seven knots, with 

 a coal-consumpt of 3 cwt. per hour. The Vega, 

 which was not permitted to carry the royal flag, 

 has sailed during the whole expedition under the 

 flag of the Eoyal Swedish Yacht Club. 



After having undergone considerable reparation 



1 Pay and rations were provided by Government only for 

 those of the expeditionary officers (commissioned and non- 

 commissioned) and men who were in the naval service. The 

 private contributions supplied an extra allowance of 3, 10s. 

 per month to each of the crew. 



