The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-11

son feels himself bound by the report re-
ceived to-day
TO PUSH THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING ARCTIC
NAvIGAToRs
with renewed zeal The Polaris, formerly the
steam tug Periwinkle, of the navy. 3S7 tons,
was selected by the Navy Department as the
most suitable vessel and was fitted out at the
Washington Navy Yard regardless Of ex-
pense. She sailed from here in July, 1871,
and of her subsequent history the HERALD has
published the fullest details.
THE NEWS OF HER LOSS
is not generally known here tonight, and in
the absence of more definite information from
Commander Braine, those who know the
meagre news sent by him today can at best
only conjecture what the probable fate Of Cap
tain Buddington and his party has been.
Interview With Sergeant Meyer, One
OF the Party Rescued from tho leo
FIoe.
d
copy of the despatch of Commander Braine,
of the Juniata, your correspondent called
upon Sergeant Frederick Meyer, of the Signal
Service Bureau, who, it will be remembered,
accompanied Captain Hall, in the Polaris, in
search of the North Pole, and was one of the
party of nineteen which were sent adrift :
from the Polaris, in the Arctic regions,
about one year ago. On reading the despatch
MR. MEYER WAS GREATLY SURPRISED
and at first was inclined to doubt its correct
ness, but when assured that it had come
through official channels, and was Commander
Braines report to the Navy Department, made
in accordance with instructions carefully pre-
pared for his guidance, he was compelled to
admit its authenticity, while somewhat credu-
lous about its reliability. As he is the only
survivor of the Polaris crew now in the
United States and as he was entrusted
with the records of the ice-foe during that
perilous voyage of over six months, exclu-
sively and graphically described in the
HERALD, and is competent to speak of
THE POSSIBLE RESCUE OF CAPTAIN BuDDnaToN
and his party, your correspondent asked him
to narrate his opinion of Commander Braine's
despatch as he judged it from his own ex-
perience in the frigid zone. Sergeant Meyer,
who still retains somewhat the bronze COM
plexion got during his Arctic expedition, said
he would gladly contribute anything Of inter
est to the HERALD. After thanking your cor
respondent for the information contained in
Commander Braine's despatch, he said -
WHAT SURPRISED ME MOST
was the quickness with which the designs Of the
Navy Department were carried out, as hardly
expected any tidings from the Polaris
before the middle or end of September. Ac-
cording to the despatch it appears that with
out any loss of time the Tigress proceeded
north, steaming up the east coast as far as
Littleton Island, which is situated more than
degree to the north of Northumberland
Island the supposed winter quarters of the
Polaris. Taking into consideration the
quickness of execution, it may at first
sight seem most probable that Captain Ty-
son and my other comrades of the ice drift by
passing Northumberland Island, in which
they were unable to recognize the locality of
our famous disaster, enjoined Commander
Greer to push forward to the north and that
on arriving at Littleton Island they at once
knew it to be the place of their never-forgot-
ten commencement of misery. Granting
this to be SO, it remains mystery how the
Polaris came to return to Littleton Island
after, to my own knowledge, she
had passed the same island three days before
the disaster, had sighted Northumberland
Island one day previous to the separation of
her crew, and was seen by the ice party on
the 10th of October, 1872, at anchor, between
the main land and Northumberland Island in
Murchison Sound. Should she, by the i'm
mediate following southerly storms, have
been driven north, and brought up at Little
ton Island, or been taken there by the
will of her master, who may have thought TO
find provisions and clothing, said to have
been deposited at Mount Garry Island by DR..
Hayes expedition. As this may be, it re-
mains q fact that signs of the Polars have
been found at Littleton Island. She even is
reported to have sunk O month after she had
been abandoned by Captain Buddington.
This latter news can have come to the ears