The sun., 1883-10-28

Additional light has now been thrown upon
the Proteus expedition by tho correspondence
which has passed between Secretary CHAN
DLER and Commander WILDEs and between
Gen. HAZEN and Lieut.. DARLINGTON.
Mr. CHANDLER's inquiries are direct and
pointed. Stated briefly, they ask why the
Yantic did not accompany the Proteus to
Littleton Island, and why, after reaching the
island, and learning OF the loss Of the Proteus
Commander WILDEs did not ut least land his
surplus provisions and supplies for the use
OF GREELY when he should arrive there from
Lady Franklin Bay.
AS to the first point, Mr.. CHANDLER says
buntly that while sincerely commencing
the zeal, energy. and general good con-
duct" Of WILDEs and his officers. 1t does not
seem to him that the Yantic properly full
filed her duty as tender to the Proteus by
keeping twelve days behind her, and there
by defeating the object Of the expedition"
In reply to this serious implication, Com
mander WILDEs first Of all quotes his orders:
MY orders directed to proceed to the northwsrd
through Daviss Straits In company with the Proteus
practicable . which ship being ntted for cruis
ing in the ice will probably take advantage Of opportu
mites to reach her destination which would not feel
authorized in taking in the Yantc. . You will
safely carry below and deck, is very desirable
that you reach your destination with ample supply
still remaining for 1t may be possible to obtain
small supply of coal the coast Of Greenland but this
cannot be relied upon."
Here. then, at the start, we find an answer
to the Secretary's first inquiry. 1t was left
to WILDEs's discretion when and how to aid
the Proteus. He was to 20 in company with
her" II practicable" but was specially warned
that the Proteus might be able to reach her
destination sooner than he could. COmman-
der WILDEs accordingly proceeds to give
very fully his reasons for not accompanying
the Proteus The latter carried over 500 tons
OF coal to the Yantics 1877; the Proteus made
from 81 to knots per hour, and the Yantic,
with six fires, only an average Of from 81 to
7; the Proteus, built as an Arctic vessel,
| pushed through q stream OF Ice for five hours
which the Yantic could not safely have at
tackled; finally, six days were lost at God
haven In repairing the Yantics boilers, an
other day In getting In coal from q brig
which had just arrived, and two more on ac-
count Of stormy weather. At Upernavik,
which WILDEs was directed to visit for in
formation about the condition OF the ice, he
was detained six days by fog. In short. had
he strained to keep near tho Proteus, he
would have arrived at Littleton Island with
his boilers lcaky, and with only six days coal
supply left, and Godhaven 1000 miles away.
Deeming it unwise to take such risk. when
no need OF 1t was apparent, he unluckily en-
countered OBTAINING fogs while tho Proteus
was having more favorable weather. Com
mander WILDEs drily adds that " Had the
Proteus been ordered to keep company with
| tha Nantin n xynulI hay haan tI,,h hotto
for all concerned"
But why did he not cache the Yantic's ex-
ira stores on Lttleton Island for GREELY's s
use? He knew. as Mr.. CHANDLER says, that
GREELY would endeavor to reach this point
In September, expecting there to find re-
lief party, house, food, and provisions.
You were at Ltteton Island on Aug. g. and
learned that the Proteus had been crushed,
and that Lieut.. GARLINdToN and his whole
party had gone south, leaving nothing for
GKEELY at LttletOn Island You could have
readily landed these provisions and supplies
but omitted to do SO. You will please ex-
plain this omission" Reduced to its sim
plest form, Commander WILDEss reply to
this statement is. as we understand 1t, that
he conceived his first duty to be, instead OF
diminishing his stock OF provisions, to re,
tain 1t all for the possible exigencies OF his
own now imperilled expedition since no one
could tell when and in what straits he might
find the wrecked crew Of the Proteus:
ON leHning OF Iii. loss of ths Proteus eop.Idsret
my htst and paramount duty to pick up the bosks
which contained thirty seven men Having done that
IL would be time to consider what next had doub
that should do this and hoped md them Carr
Issnds or. failing there. somewhere between Cap,
Parry and Cape AthOL shsuid they have rssshsd sat