New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-23
THE LOSS OF THE PROTEUS.
testimony OF SECRETARY CHANDLER.
THE NAVY AND ~uE EXPEDITION A FoRcIBLE
LITTER IRON GENERAL HAZEN.


reau OF Navigation, and headed Instructions or
Memoranda for Naval Tender" He did not know what
became Of It.
Secretary Chandler called to the stand and asked
to state in his own way his knowledge of the application
for naval ship to accompany the Arctic Relief Exped
ton OF 1883 and the interview and negotiations that led
TO granting the request He said that some time
prior to May ii the request made that a
naval vessel should be sent with tho PrOteus
The request came from Secretary Lincoln. Witness
informed Secretary Lincoln that the Navy Department
would be very glad to send vessel and suggested that
written request be made in consequence OF which sug
geston the letter OF May II was received No formal
reply was made it, Secretary Lincoln having previously
been verbally informed that the vessel would be sent
Shortly after May the Navy Department decided TO
send the fantc, and Commodore Walker requested
by witness 10 give attention to the subject Of instructions
TO her commander. Tho Chief Signal officer also
qncstod TO witness in respect TO the instructions.
Captain Powell, Acting Chief Signal Officer called upon
witness General Ha2en being absent Witness said to
Captain Powell that In Joint expeditions Of the kind
tempatcd' differences frequently to the measure
OF responsibility, and that the naval vessel
was 10 assist In an expedition that belonged
10 the War Department ho desired that
request for the specific instructions to be given the
commanding officer OF the naval vessel should
be Furnished by him Powell, To the Navy Department.
Witness remembered also asking whether It desired
that the naval vessel should carry anything in the way Of
extra provisions or OUTFIT for parties who might travel
upon the fee or for Lieutenant Garlngons party, in
any thing should happen to the Proteus. Captain Powell
~ witness understood ut the time, replied IN the mega
tive.
Shortly after Commodore Walker submitted TO witness
draft for instructions. Witness asked If they
isacory 10 the Chief Signal Officer and received sma
tive reply. Witness remembered seeing written
randum from the Chief Signal officer either that
any other time. Witness Left Washington Thursday, June
= and that the tho instructions signed by
Admiral Nichols az Actng-secretary Of the Navy. They
signed the Saturday following Previous depar-
turc OF witness, time between June and General
liazen visited the Navy Department and cOnyersed with
with witness Witness said he hoped the instructions
given were satisfactory, and was told by General Hazen
that they Reference being made by witness in that
conversation the suggestion that the Ynntc carry
additional outfit supplies. General Hazen said that
nothing Of the kind would DO required except that the
Yantic well fitted 10 take OF herself and De at
hand In case Of emergency. Admiral Cooper was In
sruced by letter Of May 81 10 have the Yanc prepared
for the cruise possible The Iantc had been IN
the West Indies, hut arrived NcwYork May d. and
anchored OF the battery The Yantc went alongside the
dock June p into the dryoc June :, and out OF
on June -, during which time the sheathug put
upon her bows
Witness gave oral Instructions to Commodore Walker.
notwithstanding no request was made from the Signal
Office 20 take the heavy weights from the ship and Ill her
up with coal but also especially 10 have large supply Of
provision, put board. On juno Commodore Walker,
being IN Ncw-York. with Commodore Upshnr visited the
Yartic and gave directions for taking of the ordnance
stores and made oral suggestions TO Lieutenant Gibson
who $50. taou In command The actual instructions TO
Commander WilJc--hs sailing orirrs-wcre MT signed
Lbi Jun. O. 90. Oh" that D. j. not tr rrcIce 30
ls.ur sailing orders until few days before tha slip
-'arts. They ar' pIpl-ely held ha.h Commander
WuIrs Iu, whore tr ship was going about well
..HHH sN,. q -H#t|. 10 .Hrf
witness lad caused to Doe prepared an estimate
of the number OF Gly- ratou the Taic Cor her crew.
and found that when she lrft Itctou Island she had
about four months supply Tor 129 and about three
months supply wien sEr reached 80. Johns.
Ey Tie C.ar-Dl the instructions 10 Commander |
WIlc5 contemplate DIS furnishing any stores for the
sf 'iy CianGlfr-I hardly know how 70 answer that
t.u 20 si.u lr opinion ulr-, the Court think,
important OF ,JIr.r, my sly fir InF-'H TINT one /
ZOO, ru,I-rury which might happen 90 either vessel, but
o. .rr was u1 sI-. lion taIi tA' l'ro'G- purity would re-
gir, nrw oH rather t'e contrary on the part OF the
General Ual,u Was recalled aud r.aa tho following
Ira Ili ~, h. nia,,,,,d. ..Iierl nov, -..iu,n1y
% 5tt. r'Itlr,1u. bcori c,,1hrr. and lol shore,
f rrc In he e: that tsr organizers of the clp-
49, and M. tIr ,li,.r of tIr signal
r, .r a,ine har, ~ thc.c ml,t,rs-laI not studied
r sin.rt and lut the means employed for The cNpodi-
m wore iT1lrlr1tc. I'M short that MY duties Ca coHncc-
pu win these expeditions had been carcssly ana IN
.teuly performed All thi. tends show cupnble
lad almou criminal neglect NJ duty There has been In
uf tIuDny radical error ~ facts when IT. Is very
1rc,sly correct. Irrcoynlc iu h The familiar ou,
un ~a-, when regular force, n contact with ci
.t'.f forces. Judging from crr'am Hlllaris
If tNcr oa citizen force Jecred at and malgucd
" 1t ne beginning Of the lat, war Che volunteer force
u H. dirty coat- bl-gy brccchr- and greasy clu'pmon
val. with Young regular officers the constant theme OF
ilIr. and np'. and JUDGED from c standpoint OF
had mo- standing Bur all know tudt under that equip
ucut tnu Was tue b,' soldiers ever III IN ID, ug;I
li thc NAVY Gl not mad in thc equipment cotiing dis
ipinc mi general appearance "I"i WoId pas tnIir
regular Navy standards, I'M propose 10 7n"" nom tle
witnesses nom ~lJoIn's, what know Ia he true, That
pr the purpose required her; that her captain was
lo oy tHol"nrnS pi"h'im' Dnt "'s,t i an ,i
oauy other captain thar could have employed aud lhnl
o.aprt,u,. Ana believe vi prove that hor crew WIS
Jmpo-cl ~ good and Experienced lee s'amrn' as was
bat n December l".l placed IN his hands the whole
Iu'cet of Arctic work charging him 10 ave IL constant
Dee Libraries OF is ciN ana such persons OF aGum, *
icrouu' IN Arctic work were to be found ana to Duhg
~ @ l MIN ,.,ltj,,., IRON, IN tr4 stu,ly ns should
lmc til July, 1s-3. when De relieved from
lnty In nv oilcc under the operation Of an act Of
jon, holding frequent Interviews and consultations
,iI M. upon thcsc subjects, during which time
ic did prepare two expeditions for Lady Franklin Bay
md "a Point Barrow, with the best OF food clothing
os slcls and everything else essential to the progress
II that work. in short that during all this period 81
ycny months, and uptD the sailing oi the PtOcus, very
arcul ana adequate study and consideration was given
% the subjects am charged rs n"glcctlug.
will prove hy General Ilay klns that upon my !
cquisitious he carefully selected, bought and shipped
oth by Neptune in 1892 and the POtcus IN 1883, IN
Iupc quantities. the freshest and best outnt or cub
tncc stores that was possible get In the markets
the United States. will prove also that tie means
we're only adequate but selected aud prepared
gi;h that care which only high devotion 10 sacred duty
an give The bearing OF all this upon the subjects before
bis Court Of Inquiry, il, that failure to do those duties
rupcrly would subject me by the terms of the !
rdtr converting the and by good admlnistra- c
on to trial by a general court martial, which !
would amply deserve NEGLECTED none Of these duties
nd when that fact Il questioned the right to prove In the