Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-11-01

Letter of me Secretary of War to the
Chief Signal O6cer.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 81.


The secretary of War has written q letter
to the chief signal officer in reply to the
communication of the latter, transmitting
Lieut.. Garlington's report Of the rellef e4-
pedition TO Smiths Sound. The secretary
says:
1T is apparent that two things at least
were omitted, either one of which on being
done, the general object of the expedition
would have been accomplished to certain
point and the party not seriously crippled,
would have left = place from which tney
could have proceeded to execute further plans
for the relief of Lieut.. Greedy and party.
The loss of the Proteus, alone happening
where it did, might have been matter of no
importance in this connection. 1t was fully
contemplated if it failed to reach Lady
Frsnklins Bay to return to st. Johns, leav-
ing the relief in winter quarters at or near
Littleton Island. If Darlington prudently
made his base of supplies at or near Littleton
Island it would have been q matter OF little
consequence to him or his party whether the
Proteus went to st. John, or without the loss
of life to the bottom of the ocean. On the
other hand if the Proteus had succeeded in
reaching Lady Franklin Bay extra stores
would not, l understand, have been needed
by Lieut.. Greedy, who was abundently sup
piled for, and taking these extra stores past
Littleton Island was not only useless for any
purpose conceive, but fatal risk.
Secretary Lincoln speaks of different in
closures mentioned in Garlington's letter Of
instructions, and notes the fact that not one
has vet appeared and requests an explana-
ton. He says he has not seen any satisfac-
tory explanation why the Proteus was al
lowed to become separated from the Yantic.
Darlington was informed that the Yantic
would accompany him as far as Littleton
Island. The assistance of the navy in this
way was regarded as adding greatly to the
probable success Of the expedition and an al
most perfect protection against disaster; but
instead of sailing together the movements of
the vessels were so conducted, that for all
the good the Yantic could have done for
Lieut.. Greely's party or to Garlington's party
in saving lives or supplies, she might as we'll
have left ST. Johns in 1884 as when she did.
| The secretary speaks of the agreement be-
tween Darlington and Wildes, bv which the
Proteus was to steam and the Yantic to go
under sail, and says that ''instead of using
the Yantic as a convoy and companion, the
| PrOteus was moved by written agreement
| and BY design, as though escaping from the
| Yantic."
81 am not satisfied with Garlington's ex-
PLANTATION of the causes which led him into a
very grave and perhaps fatal error-going
south from Littleton Island after the loss OF
the Proteus. If he had remained there he
would have been succored by the Yantic in
eight days and the relief station for Greedy s
party would have been established. l cannot
understand how it was that while on July %,
on his way north, when in his own words
the weather is perfect, calm, warm and de-
| lightful; there was no ice as far as could
be seen from the crows nest with the aid of
/ orfi,l folosoOno thot ha fQlt
safe even, away from all communication with
the Yantic. He saw no necessity of making
a boat for supplies at LittletOn Island, yet,
| four days later at the same place, he did not
suppose the Yantic could get up to where he
was, and so put to sea with the whole party
in small boats in the Arctic Ocean,"
In supplement of the report, Darlington
says that when the Proteus encountered the
pack in Melville Bay, no one on
board the vessel thought the Yantie would
cross the bay. This opinion was formed
from the known intention of the commander
of the Yantic not to put his vessel into the
ice. This opinion formed on the way north
therefore prevailed when Lieut.. Darlington
passed Littleton Island. 1t was, in effect,
that no assistance could come from the
Yantic and those on the Proteus must depend
only on themselves for attainment of the two
alternative objects of the voyage. First to
reach Lieut.. Greedy with the ship, and failing
| in that the establishment of a we'll provided
relief station at Littleton Island. The last
| object could have beed assured by merely
delaying for few days the dangerous north
ward voyage, and it now appears that the
delay of but little more than a week would
have permitted not only the establishment of
the station, but would have them again in
close communication with the Yantic, for as