New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-14
BRITISH ARCTIC EXPEDITION
DEPARTURE FROM PORTSMOUTH.


OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES FROM THE QUEEN
SAILING OUT OF THE HARBoR.
,,pou An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF Tug TRIBUNE.
IoxDoy. June 1.-lAnd the plaudits of a multi
tude in Portsmouth and the personally expressed
wishes of Oneen Victoria for safety and success. the
british Arctic Expedition of 1875 sailed on Satur-
aay afternoon. Precisely at o'clock D. ~. the ships
Alert and Discovery. accompanied by the Nai"'ous
steamed out of Portsmouth hsrbor their adven-
tnrous and all must hope, successful voyage III anest
of the North Pole For good on for evil those ships
are now on their way and. with the exception OF the
fey particulars which will he brought home from
Disco hy the Valorous. we shall probably hear no
more of them until know whether they have
been successful not in the great task they nave
ct ont IN psrform. The motive for all the
TIM Sios,p and excitement caused by the start was
no, far TO seek. 1t was not merely to witness the
sailing of a couple of ships of the English navy,
going though they might be. for long voyage, that
The tens of thousands of spectators nockcd to Ports
mouth aud lined the beach and piers, and even
covered the surface of the harbor on Saturday;
hut IT was IN shape, give vent to the feeling
Of popnar good will TO Capt. Mares and his gallant
band that they went. After all. the spectators were
the greatest sight of tho day. and not the ships IL
has been stated before that the fitting ont and dis
patch Of this expedition is the most popular thing
Mr. Disraeli has done since his return to power and
the scene at the sailing of the ships on Saturday
wonld afford ample confirmation, if any needed,
of this statement.
The scene at the sailing OF the ships on Saturday
afforded the best possible indication of the popular
opipion on the subject of this expedition 1t would
hardly have boon a matter for wonder If the JOY OF
that day were diminished with the feeling that
these two wel-cquippcd ships and two crews OF rs
gallant fellows rs ever left port possibly seen
for the last time Tie prevalent idea, however,
inst the contrary of this. All appeared to imagine
that thew were assem- bed simply to hid Gcspeed to
au expedition that is to accomplish all that
i, set out for it TO do, and that VIII
return at the appoii ted time two years hence
with vast addition to the geographical knowledge
of the world.
II will be scarcely necessary to that much Iati
tude las been allowed to the men since the ships
were nut in commission. The stern discipline Of the
British navy can be relaxed at times, and. of all
times when il would be to do it, surely this was
one The men were naturally anxious TO spend as
pleasantly as possible the few remaining days they
wonld have among their friends and To take advan-
tage of the numerous facilities that exist for SPEND
inc the pay they had received in advance On Fri
day the men had leave for tIat day, and though 2
o'clock on Saturday morning was the tiurs appointed
for all to be- on board most If the were there
late on Friday night, and by tie appointed hour
every officer and man was in n position to answer
the muster call An important part OF the proceed
ings of the day the inspection of vessels and
crews bv the Lords of the Admiralty, which was
fixed for 10 o'clock. heavy hnom from the Duke
OF Wellington, the Port Admra's flagship about
this hour announced-by way of salute-the arrival
of these officials The party consisted Of Mir. Ward
HINT the First Lord and Naval Minister; Lord
Clifford: Sir Alexander Mine Sir Massey Lopes. and
Mr. Vernon Washington. Their Lordships, however,
having left London by very early train, stayed Il
short time on boarl their yacht to breakfast This
necessary preparation for the business If the day
being completed they put Of to the ships, and iIst
boarded the Alert They were received mt
the gangvay by Capt. Mares. An inspection
of the men, the ships, the stores, ard the
numerous appliances which the ships carry was at
once begun. This duty was performed in a manner
diarcn, from that usually adopted ordinary
rssions II was no mere marching mp and down the
lines with a glance IT abont every tenth man.
Every individual and every article were closely and
critically scanned bnt so admirable had been the
preparations that nothing was found to require
alteration or TO demand word of suggestion. This
much having been done Mr.. Hunt addressed a few
words 10 both officers and men. He told them they
had everything on board which, So far as past expe-
rience could show, would contribute to their COM
fort and wcll-being. The eyes of the whole world
Of every one would 90 with them for in their
arluous undertaking. He very heartily wished
them Godspeed, and, after a cOg,ilal shake of the
hand with each officer he passed over the gangway
and as heartily wished the men I" COED bye"-a com
pliment they acknowledged with q ringing cheer
The official party next went on board the sister ship
Discovery, where similar ceremony was gone
through and whore they received with equal
heartiness by the crew. few parting words were
also addressed IL Captain Stephenson and his men
by Mr.. Hunt. After a hurried visit to the Scraps,
the troop ship ready to take the Prince Of Wales
and his suite TO India, the Lords of the Admiralty
landed and returned To London at 1890.
The official inspection being concluded the decks
were speedily covered with tho friends and relatives
Of the crews. and the incidental scenes to a final
leaye-taSiug were already taking place. 1t wouid
seem that large proportion of the men are married.
for there was end of sOrrowful faces of women
visible. final leave taking on board such ships
these does not differ in any material respect from
the scenes which may almost any day be on the
sailing of ocean steamers from the North or East
Rivers in your city. There were naturally
many touching scenes; bat these do not need re-
production. One element Of il all was the attempt
by some 10 nflse tone Of joculsrity, hut this in
vsrisbly failed. The wives of the Scotch Ice Quar-
termas;ers had in several cases, come from Dundee.
These Scotchwomen, with the hardness, vet withal
good which caracterzes the of the High
lands afforded an excellent example and admipis-
tered much consolation to their sOrrowng sisters.
Their husbands having been engaged all their lives
IN whaling cruises, they were somewhat inper-
vious 10 the effect of leave-taking. and
they enabled TO point out that the
supposed dangers of Arctic seas were not
great after all nasmuch as their own husbands were
yet spared for another venture. Even the jocular
tar. whom the newspaper correspondents have