The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-06-20
Secretary Robeson's Polaris Report,

recites the facts already public of the causes
leading to the investigation and says be con
ours in all the statements and conclusions
arrived at by the committee. He says In
some of the testimony as given will bt
found statements of fact and several strong
expressions of feeling on the part of some
witnesses against Capt. Buddington, which
he feels great reluctance in publishing in
constrained to believe 1t better for him and
will be more satisfactory to his friends as
well as the friends of those still on board
the Polaris that they should be published
as given rather than that their suppression
be made the foundation of sensational and
alarming reports not justified by the real
facts.
1t must however be clearly understood
that in permitting the publication the De
partment neither makes nor discloses any
judgement against Captain Buddington
who has no opportunity for defence or cx-
PLANTATION The Secretary details the meas
urers takeu to prosecute search for the
Polaris. in the proposed purchase and fit
ting out of sealing steamer Tigress which
is now en- route for New York and will be
dispatched to Northumberland Sound at
the earliest possible day The history of
the expedition is rehcarsed step by step
from the time 1t left Disco until the return
of Capt Hall from his last scdge expedi-
ton October "a
Upon the captains illness and death the
committee report as follows The captain
returned from his journey apparently in
his usual health, but was attacked the
same evening with sickness of the stomach
and vomiting, and taking to his bed was
next day found to be seriously ILL., His
most marked symptoms seem, from the
the evidence, to have been such as indicated
congestion of the brain accompanied by
delirious and partial paralysis of one side.
The witnesses all state that his attack was
called apoplexy and some of them speak of
their own knowledge of his paralysis and
delirium.
He recovered however some days after
sufficiently to leave his bed to move about
the cabin little and to attempt to attend
to business, but he soon had relapse and
became again delrious and died on the
eighth of November, 1871, three days after
he was buried on the shore. From the per.
sonal examination of all tho witnesses and
from their testimony as given, we reach the
unanimous opinion that the death of Capt
Hall resulted naturally from disease with.
out fault on the part of any one.
During his illness he was under the medi
cal care of Doctor Bassels and as none OF
the persons now here are capable of giving
a more particular accocnt of the nature anC
symptoms of his fatal sickness the return
of the Polaris must be awaited for the pre-
else information. The history of the ex
petition under Capt. Buddington's manage
ment until the date of separation from til,
Tyson party from the vessel is detailed n
already published
The committee say ii is the uniform
opinion of the witnesses and their owl
unanimous conclusion from the testimon.
and from the circumstances detailed tina
the separation of the ship from the part.
on the ice foe was purely accidental.
The next day while the party on the ice
were striving to reach the shore, hut a
what particular time of day was not ascer
tanned, the Polars came in sight to North
ward apparently coming toward the tiot
under steam and sail An India Rubbe
blanket was hoistcd and displayed from
the top of hammock. the colors were Sc
and other signals were made to attract at
tenton of the Polaris and as she approach
ed near to them that they plainly saw he
down to her rail and could distinguish he
escape pipe and kept on towards them IN
til they supposed her to be not more tha
four miles off. They felt sure she coul
force her way through the ice to their pc
sition and that in little while they woul
he again on board.
In this they were disappointed, the Pc
laris altered her course and disappeared be
hind the shore. Some time afterwards
foe drifted away and she was again see
by some apparently at anchor or made fas
to the shore or ice. 1t is most likely tha
the party on the ice was seen from the Pc
lalis. The hut erected on the foe, TIL
ships boats, the colors elevated, sgni
blanket and the group of nineteen me
standing in relief, against white bacl
ground, could scarcely have remained III
noticed. 1t was natural that under til
circumstances the party on the ice shoul
have felt deeply disappointed at the fainl
of the ship to come to their relief, an
should at the time have ascribed it to ov'
caution if not indifference rather than il
ability on the part of her responsible con
mander.
Neither is it unnatural that this feelir
was fostered during the weary watches {
their long winter upon the ice should ST
remain to effect in greater or ess degr
their present judgement on the subject, b
it must not be forgotten that they like on
selves were and are without full informs
ton of the actual condition of the Polar
all the time spoken of and cannot knO
how far the real dangers of their positit
were understood and appreciated by tho
on board of her
Such information and knowledge are a
solutely necessary to correct judgemel
and must not be assumed as foundati'
of censure against the persons acting II
der circumstances so trying and uncertai
who by reason of their enforced abs'n
, have no opportunity for explanation, co
, sidering the subject dispassionately and
, Numbering hat the Polars had been
+ roughly handled by the ice the might |
fore that, both the captain and ere
thoupht IL would he the last and attempt