BELLOT, JOSEPH RENE (1826-1853), French Arctic explorer, was born at Rochefort on March 18, 1826, the son of a farrier. With the aid of the authorities of his native town he was enabled at the age of 15 to enter the naval school. He took part in the Anglo-French expedition of 1845 to Madagascar, and received the cross of the Legion of Honour for distinguished con duct. He afterwards took part in another Anglo-French expe dition, that of Parana, which opened the River La Plata to commerce. In 1851 he joined the Arctic expedition under the command of Captain Kennedy in search of Sir John Franklin, and discovered the strait between Boothia Felix and Somerset Land which bears his name. Early in 1852 he was promoted lieutenant, and in the same year accompanied the Franklin search expedition under Captain Inglefield. He perished by falling into a crevasse (August 1853).