“Captain Clerke adds, that he received every friendly supply from the Russian Government; and that as the Companies of the Resolution and her Consort, the Discovery, were in perfect Health, and the two Sloops had twelve months Stores and Provisions on board, he was preparing to make another Attempt to explore a Northern Passage to Europe.”

The Empress of Russia.

The London Gazette of 8th February says: 

“The Empress of Russia expressed a most deep concern at the Loss of Captain Cook.  She was the more sensibly affected from her very partial regard to his merits; and when she was informed of the hospitality shown by the Russian Government at Kamschatka to Captain Clerke, she said no Subject in her Dominions could show too much Friendship to the Survivors of Captain Cook.”

The letter written by Clerke was sent by express through Petersburg; that is to say, it was written in the extreme east of Asia in June, and was sent overland across Siberia to Petersburg, and thence via Berlin to London, and was there published in under the six months.  A wonderful journey when the difficulties of transit are taken into consideration.

In the numerous appreciative notices that appeared in the press relating to Cook and his work, the Morning Chronicle alone strikes a jarring string, which is at once met by a reply; and a day or two after the same paper publishes a long letter signed Colombus (the style suggests the pen of Sir Joseph Banks) in which the character and methods of Cook are most strenuously defended, the writer claiming to have obtained his knowledge of the man “through long intercourse with him.”

The Gazetter of 24th January says: 

“His Majesty, who had always the highest opinion of Captain Cook, shed tears when Lord Sandwich informed him of his death, and immediately ordered a pension of 300 pounds a year for his widow.”

The amount really granted to Mrs. Cook was 200 pounds per annum, and the Admiralty in addition gave her half the proceeds of the Journal of the Third Voyage, a share in the Journal of the Second Voyage, and a share of the plates used in illustrating the two publications:  a very considerable addition to her income.  A Coat of Arms was also granted to the family by order of the King, and Sir W. Besant records his belief that it was the last one ever granted as a direct “recognition of Service.”  His description of it is: 

“Azure, between the two polar stars Or, a sphere on the plane of the meridian, showing the Pacific Ocean, his track thereon marked by red lines.  And for a crest, on a wreath of the colours, is an arm bowed, in the uniform of a Captain of the Royal Navy.  In the hand is the Union Jack on a staff proper.  The arm is encircled by a wreath of palm and laurel.  A very noble shield indeed.”

The notes of appreciation of his talents and services came from all parts of the world, and none more kindly than from the series of brilliant Frenchmen who followed in his footsteps.  De Crozet did not hesitate to throw away his own charts when he recognised the superiority of Cook’s; and Dumont d’Urville calls him “the most illustrious navigator of both the past and future ages whose name will for ever remain at the head of the list of sailors of all nations.”