FROBISHER, SIR MARTIN (c. English navigator and explorer, was the son of Bernard Frobisher of Al tof ts, Normanton, Yorkshire. In 1544 he was placed on board a ship sailing to Guinea. By 1565 he is referred to as Captain Frobisher, and in 1571-72 as being in the public service at sea off the coast of Ireland. He married in 1559. As early as 1560 or 1561 Frobisher had resolved to undertake a voyage in search of a north-west passage to Cathay and India, and in 1576, by help of the earl of Warwick, he was put in command of an expedition consisting of two tiny barques, the "Gabriel" and "Michael." He weighed anchor at Blackwall, and set sail on June 7 by way of the Shetland islands. The pinnace was lost in a storm and some time afterwards the "Michael" deserted; but on July 28 the "Gabriel" sighted the coast of Labrador. Some days later the mouth of Frobisher bay was reached, and a farther advance north wards being prevented by ice and contrary winds, Frobisher deter mined to sail westward up this passage (which he conceived to be a strait) to see "whether he mighte Carrie himself through the same into some open sea on the backe syde." Butcher's island was reached on Aug. 18 and some natives then decoyed away five of his men. After vainly trying to get them back, Frobisher turned homewards, and reached London on Oct. 9.
Among the things Frobisher's men brought back was some "black earth," and a rumour arose that this was gold ore. The result was great interest in the commercial world; and next year a much more important expedition than the former was fitted out, the queen lending the "Aid" from the royal navy and sub scribing £1,000 towards the expenses of the expedition. A com pany of Cathay was established with a charter from the Crown and Frobisher was appointed high admiral of all lands and waters that might be discovered by him. On May 26, 1577, the expedi tion, consisting besides the "Aid," of the ships "Gabriel" and "Michael" with boats, pinnaces and an aggregate complement of 120 men, including miners, refiners, etc., left Blackwall, and sail ing by the north of Scotland reached Hall's island at the mouth of Frobisher bay on July 17. The south side of the bay was taken possession of in the queen's name. The time was spent in collect ing ore, and very little discovery was achieved. The return was begun on Aug. 23 and the "Aid" reached Milford Haven on Sept. 23, the "Gabriel" and "Michael," having separated, arrived later at Bristol and Yarmouth.
Frobisher was received by the queen at Windsor. She still be lieved in the value of the new territory, and it was resolved to send out a larger expedition, and establish a colony. On May 31, 1578, the expedition, consisting in all of 15 vessels, left Harwich, and sailing by the English channel reached the south of Greenland on June 20. On July 2 the foreland of Frobisher bay was sighted, but stormy weather and dangerous ice caused the wreck of the barque "Dennis" and drove the fleet unwittingly up a new (Hud son) strait. After proceeding about 6om. up this "mistaken strait," Frobisher turned back, and the fleet at last came to anchor in Frobisher bay. Some attempt was made at founding a settle ment, and a large quantity of ore was shipped ; but the venture was not a success, and on the last day of August the fleet set out for England, which was reached in the beginning of October. In 1585 Frobisher commanded the "Primrose," as vice-admiral to Sir Francis Drake in his expedition to the West Indies, and for his services in the "Triumph," in the dispersion of the Armada, he was knighted. He continued to cruise about in the Channel until 1590 when he was sent in command of a small fleet to the coast of Spain. In 1591 he married again and settled down in Yorkshire. He found, however, little leisure for a country life, and the following year took charge of the fleet fitted out by Sir Walter Raleigh to sail to the Spanish coast, returning with a rich prize. In Nov. 1594 he was engaged with a squadron in the siege and relief of Brest, when he received a wound at Fort Crozon, from which he died at Plymouth on Nov. 22. His body was taken to London and buried at St. Giles', Cripplegate. Though he ap pears to have been somewhat rough in his bearing, and too strict a disciplinarian to be much loved, Frobisher was undoubtedly one of the most able seamen of his time, and justly takes rank among England's great naval heroes.
See Hakluyt's Voyages; the Hakluyt Society's Three Voyages of Frobisher (vol. xxxviii., i868) ; F. Jones, Life of Frobisher (1878) ; Julian Corbett, Drake and the Tudor Navy (1898) ; The North-West and North-East Passages, 1576-1611 edited by P. F. Alexander (1915) .