The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-19
Safety OF Captain BuddinEton and
His Mcn-Thc Herald's Advice and
the Navy Department..

His Mcn-Thc Hcrald's Advice and
the Navy Department..
A special despatch from the London cor
respondent of the HERALD brings the crafty
ing intelligence that Captain Buddington and
the rest of the crew Of the Polaris have been
rescued from their perilous situation and have
arrived at Dundee, in Scotland, oil we'll Cap
tain Tyson and his party were separated from
the vessel on the 18th of October, 1872. They
were rescued by the Tgress on the 3Oth of
April of the present year, after spending one
hundred and nineteen days on the ice-Aoe
On the 10th of May the HERALD printed its
excellent and exclusive account of the
separation of the party from the Polaris,
their suherings on the ice and their
rescue, and two days afterward we
suggested that the Tigress be at once
despatched to bring home the persons remain
ing on the ill-tated vessel. No attention was
paid to this suggestion till after the arrival of
Tyson and the rescued men in Washington,
which was not until the 9Th of June. Even
then prolonged investigation was thought
necessary by the Secretary of the Navy, and
the purchase of the Tigress was not an
nounced until the 18th, twelve days afterward
This steamer did not leave Brooklyn until the
HERALD had suggested her immediate depar-
ture. Captain Buddington and his compan-
ions were picked up by the whaling ship Ra-
venscraig on the Goth of July, or within week
of the departure Of the Tigress from Brook
Ign.
These facts and dates are extremely sug-
gestive. If the HERALD's advice had been
acted upon Immediately the speedy rescue
and return of the party would have been the
result, and much doubt and pain and heart
burnings would have been averted. In the
two months which elapsed between the news
of Captain Tyson's rescue and the departure
of the Tigress that vessel, had she sailed
under the direction of Captain Hayes, would
undoubtedly have rescued Buddington and
his men, instead of leaving the honor of their
rescue to be gathered by the Scotch whalers.
Little, perhaps, would have been saved to
them in the actual sufferings they were COM
PEELED to undergo, but alertness in seeking
and finding them would have been honorable
to the American character and gratifying to
every American citizen. Though constantly
urged to it by the HERALD, the government
threw away splendid opportunity, and the
Navy Department. in seeking justification
for sending an expedition at all, committed a
still graver fault by opening wounds which
even time cannot heal.
In singular contrast with the slowness of
the government in sending after the Polaris
was the activity of Consul Molloy, at st.
Johns, yesterday. The Juniata had left that
port on her return to the Tigress only few
hours before the news of Buddington's safety
arrived. Dir. Molloy at once sent a fast sail
ing steamer after her to overtake her and adj
he had Just received. The Consul is deserving
Of much praise for this foresight and activity,
for it is likely that his vessel will overtake the
Juniata, and that her voyage, if she pursues
it, will be to bring back the Tigress. 1t is
likely however, that the Juniata will return
10 81. Johns to await the orders of the Navy
Department, before proceeding on her voyage.
The rescue Of Captain Buddington makes
necessary most thorough investigation into
all the circumstances attending the death of
Captain Hall, and full inquiry into the
conduct Of Captain Buddington in rela-
ton to Captain Tyson and his party as well
as toward Hall previous to and at the time Of
his death As will be seen from our dispatches
from Washington this morning, Sergeant
Meyer, one of the men rescued from the ice
foe with Captain Tyson, speaks boldly in dis
belief of the opinions of others of the rescued
crew that Hall was poisoned. The proper
time to make the inquiry was when Bud
dington and all the rest could be heard.
1t would not have been proper to dis
regard the suspicious OF foul play entirely, but
it was unnecessary to make them the subject
of inquiry at the time Secretary Robinson chose
for his semi-offical investigation. 1t is not
impossible that if Buddington had been