Maritime scientists have doubled down on their claims that a shipwreck off the US coast is Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavor, one of the most famous ships in maritime history.

A pump well and part of the bow of the wreck provide further evidence of the ship’s identity, the Australian National Maritime Museum said on Thursday.

The museum first declared the wreck, located in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, to be the Endeavor in February 2022, after decades of archaeological research.

But these claims have been debunked by US experts who also examined the ship, who said that despite findings ‘consistent with what would be expected of the Endeavour’ there was still no indisputable data to support the claim.

Kathy Abbass, executive director of the Rhode Island Marine Archeology Project, said a “legitimate report” on the wreck’s identity would be released once the group’s investigation was complete.

But the museum said there have been no other dissenting responses to the claim that the ship was the Endeavor in the past two years.

Several details about the wreck convinced archaeologists that they had found Endeavor after comparing the structural details and shape of the remains with those shown on Endeavor’s 18th-century plans.

Only 15 percent of the ship remains in the hands of researchers who are now focusing on what can be done to protect and preserve it.

HMS Endeavor was first launched in 1764 as the Earl of Pembroke and was subsequently renamed His Majesty’s Bark the Endeavor after being purchased by the British Royal Navy four years later.

The ship was sent out in August 1768 to explore the Pacific Ocean, both to observe the transit of Venus through the Sun in 1769 and to search for the continent then called Terra Australis Incognita, or Unknown Southern Land.

The previous transit of Venus in 1639 had provided a huge amount of information that astronomers and scientists had about the size of the solar system and the universe.

The ship departed from Plymouth with 94 people on board, including Captain James Cook.

After traveling along the coast of Africa before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, it arrived in Rio de Janeiro in November of that year.

The boat then set out to round Cape Horn, which it accomplished on its third attempt in January, after wind, stormy weather and difficult conditions foiled Cook’s first two attempts.

In April the ship reached Tahiti, where it remained for the next four months and where astronomer Charles Green was able to study the transit of Venus in June.

After months of exploring the Pacific Ocean in search of islands, the Endeavor reached the coast of New Zealand in October, becoming the first European ship to land on the island in more than 100 years.

Dutch explorer Abel Tasman had previously reached the islands of New Zealand and Tasmania during his 1642 voyage while with the Dutch East India Company.

Cook spent six months exploring and mapping the coast of New Zealand, claiming the land for Britain before sailing west.

In April 1770, individuals on the ship saw Australia for the first time, and on April 29, HMS Endeavor became the first European ship to make landfall on the island’s east coast.

Cook spent four months mapping the coast and at one point ran into trouble when the ship struck part of the Great Barrier Reef.

The ship was 29 miles offshore at the time and did not have enough lifeboats, but managed to clear the water from the ship’s hull and make it safely back to shore.

The ship continued to explore the east coast of Australia and was taken out of the water in November to undergo major repairs before returning to Britain.

It left the day after Christmas and rounded the Cape of Good Hope in March before docking in Cape Town.

It entered Dover harbor on 12 July, almost three years after it first sailed from Plymouth.

Cook was later promoted to commander and explored the Pacific twice more with HMS Resolution.

He was killed in 1779 during a battle with Hawaiians on the island.

The Endeavor quickly became a naval transport and was sold to a shipping magnate just before the start of the Revolutionary War.

That person then tried to sell the ship back to the British when demand for ships increased during the war, but they would not accept the ship given its age and what it had been through over the years.

The seller then made the decision to rename the boat Lord Sandwich and attempt to resell it, which worked after the boat underwent serious repairs.

It was sent to Rhode Island as a prison ship when the British attempted to retake the port city of Newport in 1778, and there it was blown up in the hope of creating a blockade in the harbor during the Battle of Rhode Island.

Most recently, the discovery of the ship’s pumping well allowed the museum’s maritime archaeologists Kieran Hosty and James Hunter to compare it with plans for the Endeavor generated during a British Admiralty survey of the ship in 1768.

According to the museum, the positions of the surviving pump shaft stub and pump well partitions on the wreck perfectly matched those in the archive document.

After comparing the wreck site to historical plans, archaeologists were also able to accurately predict the location of the ship’s bow, where they found another compelling piece of evidence.

A distinctive ‘scarph’ joint in the surviving keelwood allowed the team to take further measurements of the wreck, again providing a match with the historic British documents.

The design of the escarpment itself, which was unusual for ships of the era, also exactly matched the shape and size of the connection in the Endeavour’s plans, the museum said.

An examination of forty 18th-century ship plans found that only one other ship matched the Rhode Island wreck: that of the Marquis of Rockingham, built in 1770 by the same shipbuilder who produced the Endeavor.

Maritime Museum director and CEO Daryl Karp said the finds further supported Australian researchers’ claims about the Endeavor’s identity.

“The museum also naturally recognizes the work of the team at the Rhode Island Marine Archeology Project and the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission for their assistance and oversight over many years,” she said.

Time may be running out for full confirmation of the ship’s identity after an August 2022 report suggested the ship is being devoured by shipworms.

Fashion lovers have discovered the must-have item of the Christmas season, but it is quickly flying off the hangers in stores across the UK.

H&M’s white ‘Sequin Tie-Back Dress’, complete with a black bow, has been blowing up on social media, with fans rushing to get their hands on it for the holidays.

Priced at £59.99, it first appeared last week and became an instant favorite with customers.

A video by Jennifer Nguyenwhere she shows off the dazzling dress in a fitting room, has been seen by more than 13.4 million people.

The University of Southern Denmark student captioned the clip “cutest holiday dress from H&M,” while another fan in Britain posted a TikTok of the garment with the text ‘You have found THE party dress of the season’.

Emily Louise (@emilylouiseyt) from Bristol captioned her fitting video of the dress with ‘The viral H&M bow dress really lives up to the hype.

As the sparkling outfit started popping up all over online, commentators have expressed their love for the fashion find – and their disappointment that it has largely sold out.

One user joked: “Everyone will be wearing the same holiday dress,” alongside laughing emojis.

An employee of the Swedish clothing retailer added: ‘I work at H&M and these literally sold out in our store the day they launched. So many people check for it every day.”

Another said: ‘As an H&M employee: be kind! We honestly don’t have more than the amount the store got for this dress and top.

“It’s not because we don’t want to help you find it. As store employees, we are asked about it about 200 times a day in person and on the phone.”

One desperate TikTok user wondered: ‘Whereeeee??? I checked all the UK stores and nothing’.

Another wrote: ‘Sold out everywhere. I’m very sad, I love it’, and someone else said: ‘HOUSE because I need this dress for my rehearsal on Friday but it’s sold out everywhere’.

One happy shopper exclaimed: ‘I have this dress AND I LOVE IT’.

The dress is described on the retailer’s website as ‘Short A-line dress in soft velvet covered with shimmering sequins.

‘Round neckline, long sleeves and a deep V-neckline at the back with a wide grosgrain ribbon that is tied at the back of the neck. Jersey lining.’

There is also a jacket and top available in the same collection, although the dress is the standout piece.

One TikToker reminisced: “Reminds me of 2016 style!! I think I had one just like that,” while others begged, “I need this in my life” and “Need that dress.”

Another happy shopper added: ‘The way I ran to H&M after I saw this and got the last one they had lol.’

Another fashion fanatic passing by @mrs_hermes, made her own TikTok caption, “This dress is EVERYTHING!!! The contrasting, “oversized” black bow contrasts beautifully with the luxurious, ivory-colored sequins.’

Someone commented: ‘I’ve been crying to every H&M and can’t find it’ and the creator replied: ‘Girl, stay strong! It will come back. Some may return them online because the fit wasn’t right for them. Be prepared to take it when the time comes!”

However, this isn’t the first time a piece of clothing has gone viral thanks to social media – and it won’t be the last.

Last summer, a pink satin dress from Zara was dubbed “the look of summer 2022” after it went viral on TikTok and sold out nationwide.

The midi dress, which cost £45.99, was featured on many influencers on Instagram and TIkTok, where the hashtag #ZaraPinkDress has been viewed more than 7.2 million times.

It featured a split bust with piping, a scoop neck, spaghetti straps and a cut-out detail at the back – and many women called it ‘perfect’.

I don’t know who wants to break the news about the Christmas tinsel, but it’s going to look very boring indeed next to H&M’s latest designer collaboration.

Rabanne, the Parisian fashion giant, has teamed up with the High Street giant to serve up a covetable collection that will have fashion editors salivating – and flexing their elbows to be first in line for the launch on November 9.

Paco Rabanne, who died earlier this year, stopped designing in 1999 and made way for his successor Julien Dossena. But his spirit is alive and well in these dynamic, 1960s-inspired outfits.

Chunky sequins, shimmering lurex, kaleidoscopic colors and shimmering molten metal effect fabrics – the experimental touches that made Paco Rabanne an icon of the decade’s ‘space-age’ look – are all here.

These are my favorites from a nice collection.

SPARKLE FROM HEAD TO TOE

This has the same fabulous vibe as the mini dress, but with a safer portion of fabric.

And the shiny, melted look is more versatile than you might think.

The gorgeous paillette top would look great with jeans, or peeking out from under a black pantsuit.

The divine skirt needs nothing more than a white shirt and would still be the center of attention in any room.

DESIGNER LEOPARD

Leopard print dresses can be found everywhere these days, but it is the Rabanne touch of that striking metal disc, which comes together so beautifully in the pleated midriff, that makes this dress so worth your attention.

It’s a flattering crowd-pleaser, and a hard-working one at that, considering how great it will look with knee-high boots during the day, or with strappy heels for an effortless party look.

GLOSSY MINI

The iconic look that comes to mind when we think of Paco Rabanne: all those dazzling sequins.

And just like the 1960s, this mini is so small it almost looks like a tank top – definitely not for the shy party girl. But isn’t it fantastic? This is guaranteed to sell out faster than you can say Barbarella. And it’s sure to put every disco glitterball it comes across on stage

LUREX PRINT

This combination set is number 1 on my wish list. It’s a beautiful piece of 1960s slinkiness that I will wear on repeat. The striking, graphic print in lurex – textbook Rabanne – makes it a perfect party option.

RETRO FLOWERS

The palette is beautiful, as are the slightly flared sleeves and the maximum length.

But it is that quirky cut-out at the décolleté that gives this floral dress its Rabanne DNA.

Attention has also been paid to the small details, such as those retro, space-age metal buttons on the high collar.

At first glance, this dress may look cute, but it’s actually devastatingly sexy.

MILITARY MAG

The one and only Cher rocked this jacket at the launch party in Paris for the collection and looked fantastic. The gold embroidery and durability make it look more expensive than it is. I love pairing it with a shirt with a longer line to emphasize the sharp, shorter length.

The pants, part of the collection’s glamorous tracksuit, feature military stripes to complete a polished, functional look.

The rudder of warship HMS Invincible has been discovered 60 meters away from the main shipwreck – more than 40 years after the wreck was first located.

The 11-meter blade was discovered last week during a routine inspection by marine archaeologists while lying at the bottom of the Solent.

It will be covered with sandbags to protect it from further erosion, but it has yet to be decided whether it will be financially viable to bring it ashore.

The ship was built by the French in 1744, but was captured by the British three years later during the Battle of Cape Finisterre.

It sank in 1758 when the its rudder jammed and it foundered on a sandbar between Langstone Harbor and the Isle of Wight, before capsizing three days later.

There the wreck lay for 222 years, until a fisherman brought up unusual wood after snagging his nets on a sandbank.

Divers then went down to explore the site three nautical miles from Portsmouth, Hampshire and identified the wreck as HMS Invincible.

The following year it was designated a historic shipwreck under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and has been studied ever since.

Dan Pascoe, a marine archaeologist from Bournemouth University, said: ‘Since 2010 we have carried out several surveys of the seabed and we have noticed several anomalies 60 meters from the stern of the boat, which I suspected could be the rudder. are.

‘Since then natural erosion of the sand cover has made the object more visible.

“On subsequent dives, we noticed that it was shaped more like a rudder.”

On May 24, Heather Anderson, a maritime archaeologist and junior consultant at the Maritime Archeology Trust, and Dr Rachel Bynoe, from the University of Southampton, dived seven meters to confirm the identity.

Dan Pascoe added: ‘As next steps, we will bury it in sandbags in the short term to protect it from damage, and in the long term our team will see if it can be brought to the surface and stored safely.’

A new excavation project at the wreck site was initiated in 2017 by Poole’s Maritime Archeology Sea Trust (MAST) and Bournemouth University.

This was prompted after the shifting seabed exposed the lake to the elements, leading to fears the relics could deteriorate

It involved 1,458 dives over two years, recovering nearly 2,000 artifacts.

The array of new finds, including the ship’s massive shaft, is now on display at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.

Other significant artifacts included a gun port cover and a collection of swivel guns, some with their butts and mounts intact.

There were also many other small finds, including cutlery, a bottle of corked rum and regimental buttons.

Originally L’Invincible, the 74-gun ship was built in southwestern France on the banks of the River Charente at Rochefort in 1744.

It was designed to fight all over the world and protect the French overseas empire and merchant fleets.

HMS Invincible’s service with the French Navy was cut short when it was captured off Cape Finisterre in 1747 by a superior British Royal Navy fleet commanded by Admiral Anson.

But his career in the British Navy also came to an unexpected end on February 19, 1757.

HMS Invincible was ordered to weigh anchor and begin the journey to Louisbourg (present-day Nova Scotia) to fight the French.

But a series of disastrous events led to her wrecking on a shallow sand bar known as Horse Tail Sand to the east.

HMS Invincible was discovered 222 years later by local fisherman Arthur Mack in 1979.

Realizing the importance of his discovery, Mr Mack worked with Commander John Bingeman, who had previous experience surveying Royal Navy shipwrecks.

Due to its importance, it was designated a historic wreck in 1980, under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

Commander Bingeman and Mr. Mack led excavations between 1980 and 1991 and found that the port side was intact with vast amounts of well-preserved artifacts inside.

In 2010, Mr. Pascoe became the site’s permit holder and archaeologist and found that the wreck was exposed due to parts of the ship being exposed by changing seabed levels.

This led him to investigate the newly exposed areas of the wreck and monitor the decreasing sediment levels.

Consequently, the site was placed on the Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register as a high risk.

This work drew the site’s attention to Professor Dave Parham of Bournemouth University and Jessica Berry of MAST, as well as the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

Together with Mr. Pascoe, they realized the need for an excavation project to salvage and capture fragile material before it was lost.

Today, HMS Invincible represents the most complete and best-preserved remains of a mid-18th century warship.