National Republican., 1883-11-22
PRoTEUs INVESTIGATION.
Lieutenant Commander MCCalla Testifes as to
His Inspection Of the Vessel.
The Court Asks whnt Gen. Hozcn Expects
20 Prove,


10 Prove,
During an intermisson in tho proceedings
of tho Proteus court of inquiry yesterday
photographs showing the position Of tho Pro-
teus after she was nippod and had begun to
sink, and of the place whore she went down,
the ice having closed over her, leaving only
few broken planks visible were examined
with interest by the members of tho court.
These were the volunteer work Of private w.
II. Lamar, Of the signal service, who was the
possessor of an amateur Photographic outfit,
and who had tho self possession to make this
use OF it at the critical moment. He has ssnce
been promoted to ,sergeantcy.
Commander Wildes, being present to listen
to the review of his testimony, called atten-
tion to a statement made by him day before
yesterday in substance that he did not know,
except by the newspapers, in what direction
the Yantic was to sail until tho receipt of his
orders three days before departure. He asked
leave to amend tho statement. He said he
did not know that his vessel was TO go north
of Upernavik until three days before sailing.
The amendment was made
Lieutenant Commander Bowman III. Nc
Gala, u. s. N, was called to tho witness
stand. Ho testified to having made an in
spection of the Proteus on the twenty-fourth,
twenty fifth, and twenty-sixth of May, the
first and last visits being mado in company
with Gen. Hazen. Witness inspected oil parts
of the ship including boilers. and found them
all in excellent condition. He conversed with
Capt. Pike and with tho chief engineer
of the vessel and found them competent so
far rs he was able TO judge. He examined
the compasses and tho boats and pronounced
them good. He 30 officially reported, to Gen.
HnZan m ha ode
the details of his inspection at considerably
length, and in conclusion said that if he had
had tho selection, he should have selected
both the ship and the captain and the chief
engineer. He didn't know, however, that tho
chief engineer ho saw was tho one who ac-
companied the vessel.
Gen. Hazen was recalled and read the fol-
lowing three letters, which he asked to be
placed in evidence:
FORT CoNGER, GRlNNELL LAND, LADY FRANKLIN
BAY, Aug. 1s, lSsl4J. AND W. STEWART, ST. JOINS
Gentlemen. | have the honor
to express my full and entire satisfaction with
Capt. Pixies management of his vessel as well us
from the time we left Godhaven that our expedl-
tion was in the hands of a capable and courteous
shipmaster who thoroughly understand his lwork
and his vessel. am respectfully yours,
A. w. GREELY,
First Lieutenant 9th cavalry, A. s. o., and Assist
ant Commanding the exhibition.
UNITED STATES CONSULATE, ST. JoHNs, N b.,
L, w. Is. r,
Washington, d. C.-Dear Sir / regret the loss of
the relief steamer Proteus. Lieut.. Darlington and
party left here re on the United States steamship
an examination aehis management has been cen
spred hy.C9mmander Wildes, United States steam
ship lantic MIR. Symes is rather annoyed at
statements in New York papers. . . am,
Sir, yours most respectfully,
THOMAS N. MALLoY, United States Consul.
WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL
0fFIcER.W WAsHINGToN CITY, Nov. l3, 1Ss3-MR.
THos. N. MALLoY, U. S. Consul, St. Johns, N. F.
SIR; have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
of your communication OF the first ultmo, an
nounoing the departure Of Lieut.. Darlington aud
expressing the desire of Capt Pike for an exam
ination as to his management of the Proteus on
her late voyage, and In reply, TO say that as the
President has ordered court of inquiry to inyes-
tigate the conduct of the late relief expedition to
lazy 1ranklin bay II is not thought necessary for
this Office TO take any action in connection with
the matter.
The court may desire to take Capt. Pixies testi.
aam' very respectfully your 95edient servant,
Brigadier and Brevet Major General
Chief signal Officer, u. s. A.
Referring to Lieut.. Colwells testimony Of
yesterday regarding Capt. Pixies inexperience
in Arctic ice Gen. Hazen said it might be in
ferred that these sealing captains were in the
habit of going into such ice. AS matter of
fact it was only upon the most extraordinary
occasions that vesselsl ventured in there.
Nupt. I1Ke having De0n up tnere with Lieut..
Greely had an advantage in that respect over
the great majority who had never been in
there at oil.
The court went into secret session at 1:3O,
and when the doors were re-opened adjourned
until to-day.
Pending the decision of the Proteus court
of inquiry in respect to summoning Capt.
Pike, of the Proteus; Consul Malloy, of st.
Johns; Mr. Symes, agent of the owners of the
Proteus, and Capt. Clapp, 10th United States
infantry, late of the signal service us re-
quested by Gen. Hazen, o letter has been ad-
dressed to Gen. Hazen, by order of the court,
asking what he expects to prove by the wit
nesses named. 1t is expected that Gen. Hazen
will reply to-day. 1t is understood that Capt
Clapp, being in charge of the division OF
Arctic observation in the signal Office, gave
the subject very careful study during period
of two years before the sailing of the Proteus
under Lieut.. Darlington, and il is believed
that Gen. Hazen's purpose in asking that he
be called is to refute the allegations of Com
mander Wildes that tho authors of tho expe-
dition had not given the subject-matter suf-
ficiently careful study or consulted the
authorities and records of earlier experience
in the Arctic regions.
What is expected to be proved by Cant
Pike may, perhaps, be inferred from the fol.
lowing letter, written by that officer to the
editor OF one of the st. Johns, n. f., papers
in reply to criticisms upon the conduct of the
officers and crew of the Proteus, by Private
Moritz and Lieut. Garlington's party.
To THE EDITOR EVENING MERCURY-Dear Sir:
have Just read i'll your columns extracts from
American papers containing statements said tC
have been made by Mr.. DIoritz in reference to the
conduct ofthe crew of the steamship Proteus Al
the time when she was crushed in the ice. l beg
10 say In reply that Morltzs statements are false ii
every particular. My men were guilty o no mis-
conduct, but ON the contrary, behaved nobly
There was no disobedieuce of orders and ne
drunkenness. 1t is utterly false that any of then
stole anything or made free with the stores in any
way. never made use OF the language attributed
to me by Morltz regarding my crew. Lieut. Gar
lingtons ohronometer, cash box, and other val.
uables were saved by my men, together with /
box of valuable furs, and all were immediatel,
handed over TO him.
may mention further that u quantity of stores
and clothing OF great value was drifting away on
tho ice, and Lieut.. darlington refused me the use
OF bis whale boats to recover these stores, NV
own mon volunteered to recover them In my own
two small boats, and did so ut no small risk O
their lives. As TO tue alleged mismanagement o
the ship pronounce IT, along with the other mar
tIcuars OF Montzs statement, II calumnious false.
hood.
Yours truly, RICHARD PIKE
Captain Of the Proteus, st, Johns, Newfoundland
oct. H. 1883.