New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-06

been found all In one spot IN -
He takes sealed dispatches, which yon win ~
iIo u;s JACKSON.
rONf,IENT AT WASHINGTON ON TILE NEWS
lBr TELEGRAPH THE rEDUNE
WASHINGTON May 5.-Late this afternoon Secre-
tary Chandler received the following dispatch from
Engineer Melville:
-, lRKUTsK, May o.,
10 the Secretary ofthe Nary. Washington, d. C., Z.
LENA DELTA, March "a, 1ss2.-Found De Long
and party dead. Found all papers and books Con-
tinue search for Chipp MELVILLE
No further particulars had been received up to
late hour. Naval officers express the hope that the
sad termination of this expedition will serve to put
an end to Arctic exploration with ships
George Kennan, of this city, who is we'll known
as an experienced Siberian traveller and by his
books upon that region. said tonight when asked
by a TRIBUNE correspondent for his views: The
news of the discovery of the dead bodies of Lieu
tenant De Long and his party can hardly surprise
anyone who is acquainted with the country
where those unfortunate last seen,
and who has taken into consideration the
circumstances in which they then were. At the time
when Noras and Ninderman left them they were
without food without proper clothing, and ex-
hausted by three months of constant peril hard
shin and privation. TIE expect men in such con-
toondra at the beginning of winter is to expect a
miracle. AS / said In my lecture before the Geo.
graphical Society in February and as still think,
the last possible chance of saving De Long and his
men was lost when Melville and the natives gave
ND the search in November. Men In the full pos
session of health and strength, well clothed and
with weapons could hardly sustain themselves in a
Siberian toondra through the first month OF the
Arctic night For exhausted, frost-bltten half
clothed men to do it next to an impossibilty.
They may have lived until November, but they were
almost certainly dead before the middle of Deem
ber."
"Do you think there was any possibility of saw
ing them"
THAT is q question which can hardly be answered
by.a yes or no. If things had happened differ
ently-if 1t had been possible to foresee the con-
sequences of a certain line OF action-Of course
they might have escaped. If, for example, they had
remained at Ssteranek, where they were when
Noras and NindennaD left them. instead of trying,
as they did, to get further south, they would have
been found and relieved by Melville, but they
could not know that. If again, they had known of
tie existence Of the settlement which Mel
Vile calls Upper Bulun they could probably
have reached Ii without serious difficulty
and would have been safe. 1t was comparatively
short distance from tho point where they landed,
but il was not laid down on their charts and so
they went almost directly away from it up the
rivcr. Lieutenant DeLong was followed through
out by what Cam OF call anything but cruel Ill
luck. He was uDlucky IL discovering Bennett
Island. because it's exploration cost him many days
oi precious time and delayed his arrival on the
coast until the setting In of winter. lie ui-
lucky in the place where lie landed and in his sub
eequent movements. 1t must furthermore be re-
galded pure misfortune that the only man III the
whole snIps company who could speak Russian
was III belongs boat where hIS exceptional talent
y MIaeboaf
wicbsucceeded IN reaching tlenent, his services
as Interpreter would have beeL Invaluable to En-
glnecT Melville and Lieutenant DancDhOwer. and
would have enabled them not only to reach the se-
Element Of Bulun much sooner themselves, cnt to
organize more promptly than they did a relief eX-
petition il search OF their less fortunate comrades.
II III any one of these instances Lieutenant De
1ODg had had good luck instead OF bad luck the
whole course of events might have been changed,
but the iaes seemed TO fight hard against him. lie
indde heroic struggle for lie, and SO lar as we
can Judge from the records found IL his deserted
Camps he was calm brave and cheerful 10 the last
MI Kenuan further described the conn
Try through which the search was made
as fnghtful one both on account Of
Us uninhaUited condition and the storms of
wand and snow that frequently prevail. lie said
ee should regard II as death warrant to he put Oh
NOnOIa well clothed well armed ana IN good
.'nu'uOn, and 10 be told that he TO i've there
80 80, d inohth OF tie winter night. lie said he had
aa'lou thiough that region without seeIug III ten
,e 3 ugh game 10 keep alive lie relt-
I'I'i he opinion he has formerly expressed, that
~ n'pp oOat must have fOundered, having been the
poios' sea Doat OF the three and interpreted the
Sari Si.I ~ ~ Shpp IN helvillc's dispatch 10 mean
t4y 'ld' ne was about to engage in a search Tor
Lie bodies O1 the missing men