Captain Constantine John Phipps, eldest son of Lord Mulgrave, volunteered his services.

The RACEHORSE and CARCASS bombs were selected as the strongest ships, and, therefore, best adapted for such a voyage; and they were taken into dock and strengthened, to render them as secure as possible against the ice.
Two masters of Greenlandmen were employed as pilots for each ship.

No expedition was ever more carefully fitted out; and the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Sandwich, with a laudable solicitude, went on board himself, before their departure, to see that everything had been completed to the wish of the officers.

The ships were provided with a simple and excellent apparatus for distilling fresh from salt water, the invention of Dr.Irving, who accompanied the expedition.

It consisted merely in fitting a tube to the ship's kettle, and applying a wet mop to the surface as the vapour was passing.