Charles Darwin developed his early theories on board the Beagle
Posted on 07/19/2006 3:55:15 AM PDT by PatrickHenry
Plans are being drawn up to build a £3.3m working replica of the boat that took Charles Darwin around the world at Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire.
Fundraising for the project, which would mark the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth in 2009, is under way.
The aim is to built a seaworthy vessel identical to the HMS Beagle on the outside, but with a modern interior.
Darwin, who showed how natural selection could explain evolution, sailed on the Beagle between 1831-36.
Sitting opposite him on the expedition was mate and surveyor John Lort Stokes.
One of Stokes' descendents, Pembrokeshire farmer David Lort Philips, together with commercial yacht master Peter McGrath, have founded the Beagle Project Pembrokeshire.
Mr McGrath said the ship would look identical to the original Beagle on the outside but would have a 21st century interior with diesel auxiliary engines and generators.
He said he hoped the fished vessel would inspire the scientists of the future and be used by researchers and scientists from across the world.
"Externally it will be exactly the same but we want it to do some serious scientific work and you would not want the crew living like they did in the 18th Century," he said.
The pair have spent three years putting their plans together and aim to raise the money through private and institutional investors along with public subscription.
"With all the Darwin 200 celebrations there is not one big project to focus the attention on," added Mr McGrath.
"I know the effect a square rigger has on young people - it's a jaw dropping site.
"But we do not want this just to be a replica - we want it to have genuine scientific benefits.
"We have started the fundraising. Construction will take 14 months and it has to be finished by early 2009.
"She will be built in Milford Haven and it will be her home. But what we want to do when she is built is visit the significant sights in Darwin's and the Beagle's life."
Researchers believe the original remains of the 27m-long Navy brig, that was sold for scrap in 1870, are embedded in a marsh near Potton Island in Essex.
Darwin, who published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859, came fourth in a poll run by the BBC in 2002 to find the public's greatest Briton of all time.
His voyage on the Beagle allowed him to form the basis for much of his later work.
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'Beagle' alongside of replica
" Darwin would want it to evolve in to something everyone can enjoy from stem to stern."
Funny.
With that in mind, the new Beagle needs to be nuclear powered and have stealth capability.
What about the 200,000,000 people who've been killed by doctrines based on Darwins ideas? They gonna build any sort of a monument for them?
I went to see the other one when it came through Wilmington, NC many years back.
They gave a nice tour. Small ship, lots of people and ship's stores.
Presumably the ship will be intelligently designed which should make the fundies happy. On the other hand, ship design has evolved since Darwin's day so today's Beagle may be fundamentally more adapted to a modern environment. I've heard the designers will be able to incorporate the new design elements in as little as 6 days. That will allow them to rest on the 7th day.
What about the 200,000,000 people who've been killed by doctrines based on Darwins ideas? They gonna build any sort of a monument for them?
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Oh please.
I thought people had evolved beyond that ridiculous assertion.
A description of biological processes is not a formula for communism, socialism, or nazism. Grow up.
SIGHT! Not site! SIGHT! SIGHT! SIGHT!
Nobody was killed because of Darwin. You are completely wrong, Mr. Holden.
You do not know what you are talking about. Under socialism, particularly in the Soviet Union and Communist China, evolution was thought to be counter-revolutionary and it was completely banned. It was viewed as essentially capitalistic where the strong take advantage of the weak.
There is no connection with Hitler. In fact, Hitler never talked about biological evolution, but strongly believed in divine Creation, in particular of the Aryan peoples. Hitler said he was doing the Creator's will by eliminating subhuman and mixed races.
You need to quit reading creationist propaganda. Socialism and Nazism were not inspired in any way by evolution.
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/2437/nazis.htm
I'll not pile on too much, but your reading of the book title is ridiculously in error.
It really is scary when Creationists unknowingly align themselves with the likes of Stalin and Hitler in their views of evolution. When they make such comments, they don't know that their views of evolution are similar to the worst mass murderers in history. Stalin banned evolution and imprisoned or executed scientists for studying evolution. Hitler used special creation as an excuse for his racist bloodlust. Do you think tomzz actually realizes his comments are the antithesis of his beliefs?
An exact replica of a Nelson era Royal Navy frigate would be a thousand times cooler.
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