National Republican., 1883-11-01

explanation Of tho causes which led him into
the very grave and, perhaps, fatal error of
going south from Littleton's island after the
loss Of tho Protous. If he had remained
thcrc he would have been succored by the
Ynntic in eight days, and relief station for
| Lieut.. Groolys party would have been estab-
| lished. The loss of the Proteus would then
| have been little moro than an inconvenience.
l cannot understand how IL was that while
on July %, on his way north, when in his
own words "rhec weather was perfect, calm,
warm, delightful, there WAS no ice
as far as could bo seen from the crows most
with tho MD of very powerful
| telescope" he felt SO safe even
away from all communication with
the Yantic; that he saw no necessity of
making n base Of supplies at Littleton island;
| yet four days later, at the samo place, ho did
| ho was, and so put to sea, with all his party,
in small boats in an Arctic ocean. The
| Tantic was bound to go there. Imagine, IL
possible, tho reception which the commander
Of the Yantic would have had If he had
returned home in September with no n ows of
the Protous and without having been to Lit
tleton island. 1t is not forgotten that Lieut..
| Darlington was not In pleasant place, nor
that he endured worry groat hardships, but ho
had volunteered for the performance of an
important duty, with q full knowledge of the
certain difficulties and of tho desolation
upon him was correspondingly great
In his supplemental report, Liout Gar
| lington says that when the Protcus on-
counterod tho pack in Melville bay no one on
board that vessel thought the Yantio would
cross the bay. This opinion was formed
I from the known intention of tho commander
| of the NnntiC not to put his vessel into the
ice." This opinion was formed OH the way
north, and therefore prevailed when Lieut..
| Darlington pasted Littleton island 1t was
| in effect that no assistance could como from
the Yantic, and that those on tho Protcus
must depend only upon themselves for the
attainment of tho two alternative objects
of their voyage-frst, to reach Lieut.. Greedy
with their ship, and falling that the establish
ment of woll provided relief station at or
near Littleton island. Tho last object could
have been assured by merely delaying for
few days their dangerous northward voyage /;
and 1t now appears that delay of but little
moro than a week would have permitted not
only the establishment of the station, but
would havo put them again in close commu-
| nicaton with tho Yantic. For as Lieut. Gar
lington says, AS 1t turned out to everyone's
surprise the Yantic saw no leo in Melville
bay, and had an uninterrupted passage
to Littloton island" Lieut.. Garlington's
| singularly unfortunate errors of judgment
as to his own safety in going in one direction,
and rs to the Yantic's danger in coming from
the opposite direction, were each productive
of disaster. 1t appears to mo that Lieut. Gar
lington's supplemental report only tends to
| make an understanding of his failure to re-
| main at or near Littleton island after tho loss
of the Proteus more difficult than before. If
| he had no hope of the Yantic coming north,
not from lack of enterprise in its commander,
but on account of the assumed unftness of tho
ship for such a voyage and the orders by
which it was controlled, how is it that he
expected to carry out the plan outlined in
,lat, tal
he determined to communicate with
the Yantic as soon as possible to
do so, to get from her all the sup
| plies that could be spared, and establish
a depot at Life Boat cover" Life Boat cove
is near Littleton island. 1t is not to be sup
posed that he thought that the Yantic would
accomplish more under his guidance than be-
fore, and would come north to Littleton
| island or Life Boat cove to land supplies If
its orders or its condition were such as to pro-
vent its coming. 1t Is even more improbable
that Lieut. Darlington could reasonably ex-
| pect to cross large expanse of Arctic sea in
| small boats and return them, necessarily in q
late season, with suppliesand shelter for win
ter station at Life Boat cove. Upon due con-
sderation have thought it proper to submit
the case to the President, with my
recommendation that he direct the
appointment of o court Of Inquiry to investi-
gate the fitting out of the Greedy relief
Il
Proteus, having particular reference to the
| orders and instructions therefor, and for the
conduct of the expedition and the arrange
ments made for assistance from the United
States steamer Yantic; and also the general
conduct of the expedition, including particu-
larly the failure of the Proteus to keep in
company with the Yantic up to Littleton
island, or its neighborhood, and the failure
to establish we'll provided relief station
at or near Littleton island; and with
directions to report their findings and their
opinions as to whether the conduct of any
officer of the army in the promises calls for
further proceedings before II court martial,
and the reasons for tho conclusions which
| they may reach.
The President has thereupon directed that
| q court of inquiry be appointed, as recon-
| monded, and the necessary orders will be at
once issued. | am, very respectfully, your
0bedient servant, ROBERT Il. LINCOLN
Secretary of War.
The folio wing special order was issued by
the war department yesterday:
By direction of the President of the United
States, court OF inquiry Is hereby appointed to
investigate the Organization and fitting out of the
Greely relief expedition party, transported by the
steamer Proteus, having particular reference TO
the orders and instructions issued for the guild
ance aud government thereof aud the arrange
ments made for assistance from the United States
steamship Yantio.
The court will make full and thorough invcs-
duct of the expedition Including particularly the
| failure of the Proleus to keep Ia company with
the Yantic up TO Lttletou island or its neghb bor-
| hood, and tho failure to establish II well
| provided station at or near Llttleton island,
and will take into consideration in their invesLi-
| CATION such records aud correspondence pertain.
Ing to the original Greedy expedition as they may
deem necessary, and Will report the facts deyel-
oped by their investigation and their opinion rs TO
Whether the conduct of any officer of the army In
the premises calls for further proceedings before
general court martial, and the reasons for the
| conclusions which they may reach.
Detail for the court: Brig. Gen. S. V. Benet,
chief of ordnance; Col X. Is. Ayres, "a artillery
aud Lieut.. Col .. NJ. Poe, corps of engineers.
Mai. Henry Goodfellow, judge advocate, D. s. A.,
viii act rs recorder of the court The court will
| meet in the city OF Washington on the eighth day
of November, 1883, RoDERT Il, LINCOLN,
Secretary Of War
1t is understood that the navy department
will not take any further action in tho case
of Commander Frank Wildes, commanding
the United States steamer Yantic, for tho part
taken by him in the late expedition, unless it
shall be deemed expedent rs tho result of
testimony which may be developed in the
proceedings Of the court Of inquiry appointed
by the secretary of war
-
The Putnam River.
Lieut. George NJ Storey u. s. n, has sub.