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After 250 years, Captain James Cook's long-lost ship, HMS Endeavour, was discovered off the coast of Newport Harbour, Rhode Island.

James Cook (1728–1779) was a British naval captain, navigator, and explorer.
James Cook was born on October 27, 1728, in Marton, Yorkshire, England. At the age of 18, he began sailing on the North Sea. He studied mathematics on shore.
In 1755, Cook joined the British Royal Navy. He was quickly promoted and assumed command of a ship at the age of 29.
He fought in several battles in what is now Canada during the French and Indian War.
Following the war, he charted the coast of Newfoundland.
He sailed the seaways and coasts of Canada (1759 and 1763-67) and led three expeditions to the Pacific Ocean (1768-71, 1772-75, and 1776-79), traveling from the Antarctic ice fields to the Bering Strait and from North America's coasts to Australia and New Zealand.
In 1766, he published a paper about a solar eclipse, which earned him recognition as a scientific observer.

Voyage	Years	Objective	Key Achievements	Outcome
First Voyage	1768–1771	Scientific expedition to the Pacific Ocean (for Royal Society of London)	Charted New Zealand; reached southeastern Australia in 1770; named it New South Wales	Claimed Australia for Great Britain; returned to England in 1771
Second Voyage	1772–1775	To search for a southern continent (Terra Australis)	First European to cross the Antarctic Circle; discovered and mapped many Pacific island groups	Did not find Antarctica, but expanded geographic knowledge
Third Voyage	1776–1779	To discover a Northwest Passage across North America	First European to visit the Hawaiian Islands; explored Arctic Ocean coastlines	Killed by Hawaiians on return visit in 1779

Source: Ndtv.com

Q. With reference to Captain James Cook’s voyages, consider the following statements:

During his first voyage, he charted New Zealand and claimed eastern Australia for Britain.
He was the first European to cross the Antarctic Circle.
He successfully discovered the Northwest Passage during his third voyage.
He was the first European to visit the Hawaiian Islands.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only
B) 1, 2 and 4 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 2, 3 and 4 only

B) 1, 2 and 4 only

Statement 1: Correct – In his first voyage (1768–1771), Cook charted New Zealand and reached southeastern Australia, naming it New South Wales and claiming it for Britain.
Statement 2: Correct – On his second voyage (1772–1775), he became the first European to cross the Antarctic Circle, although he did not reach Antarctica.
Statement 3: Incorrect – He attempted to find the Northwest Passage in his third voyage (1776–1779) but did not succeed.
Statement 4: Correct – During the third voyage, he became the first European to visit the Hawaiian Islands.