The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-01
THE GREELEY RELIEF EX-
PEDITION.
Somrf of Inquiry Appointed TO Investigate
the Failure Lieutenant GarlingtOn's
Course severely Criticized by the secre.
tary of War.

tary of War.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 3l.-Secretary Lin coin,
BY direction OF the President, mas appointed a
court of inquiry to investigate the organization
and fitting out of the Greeley renef expedi-
tion party, transported by the steamer Proteus,
having particular reference to the orders and
instructions issued for the guidance and gov
ernment thereof and the arrangements made
for assistance from the United States steamer
Yantic. The court viii make full inyestiga-
ticn of all matters relating to the general con-
duct of the expedition including particularly
the failure of the Proteus to keep company
with the Yantic up to Litteton Island or In
nighborhood thereof and the failure to estab-
lsh well provided relief station at or near
Littleton Island. Tho court will meet in
Washington on the 8th of November.
Ihe Secretary of War has written letter to
the chleI signal officer in reply to q communi-
cation from the latter transmitting Lieutenant
Garlington's report OF the relief expedition to
Smiths Sound The Secretary says: ssIt is
apparent that two things at least were omitted,
either one OF which being done the general OBJ
Ject OF the expedition would have been accom-
plished to certain point and the party not
seriously crippled would have been left at
place from which they could have proceeded
to execute further plans for the relief of Lieu
tenant Greeley and party. The loss Of the
Proteus alone happening where it did might
have been a matter of no Importance in this
connection. 1t was fully contemplated if IL
failed to reach Lady Franklin Bay to return to
st. Johns, leaving relief party in winter
quarters at or near Littleton Island. If Gar
ington had prudently made a base of supplies
at or near Littleton Island it would have been
a matter of little consequence to him Or party
whether the Proteus went to St. Johns or
without loss of life to the bottom of the ocean.
On the other hand il the Proteus had succeed
ed in reaching Lady Franklin Bay extra stores
would not have been needed by Lieu
tenant Greeley, who was abundantly provided
for; and taking these extra stores past Little
ton Island was not only useless for any pur-
pose can conceive of but fatal risk.
Secretary Lincoln speaks of the different en-
closures mentioned in Garlington's letter of
instructions, and notes the fact that one has
not yet appeared, and requests an explanation.
he sapS he has not seen any satisfactory expla-
nation why the Proteus was allowed 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 expedi-
tion, and as almost perfect protection against
great disaster. Bnt, instead of sailing to-
gether, the movements of the vessels were so
conducted that for all the good the Yantic was
to Lieut. Greeley's party in any way, or to
Garlington's party in saving lives or supplies,
the Yantic might as well have left st. Johns
in 1884, as when she did.
The Secretary speaks Of the agreement be-
tween Darlington and Wildes, by which the
Proteus was to steam and the Yantic go under
sail, and says: Instead of using the Yantc as
convoy and companion, the Proteus was
moved by written agreement, and by design
as though escaping from the Yantic." L
am not satisfied with Lieut.. Garlington's
1ad into,
very grave and perhaps fatal error, in going
South from Littleton Island after the loss of
the Proteus. If he had remained there he
would have been suecored by the Yantie in
eight days and the reliet station for Lieut..
Greeley'S party would have been established.
cannot understand how it was that while
on July I'D on the way North when, in his
own words, ''the weather was perfect, calm,
warm and delightful; there was no ice as far
as could be seen from the crow s nest with the
aid OF a very powerful telescope" be felt so
safe even away from all communication with
the Yantic that he saw no necessity of making
base Of supplies at Littleton Island, and 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 all his party in
small boats in the Arctic ocean. The Yantc
was bound to go there. In supplemental re-
port Lent Darlington says that when the
Protens encountered the pack in Melville Bay
no one on board the vessel thought the Yam
tic would cross the bay The opinion was form
ed from the knowni intention of heCommander
of the Yantic not to put the vessel into the
ice and 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
thai those on the Proteus must depend only
fCh themselves for attainment of the two alter
native objects of the voyage-frst 10 reach
Lieut. Greeley with the ship, and failing in
that the establishment of well provided re-
lief station at or near Littleton Island. The
last object could have been assured by merely
delaying Tor a few days their dangerous north
ward voyage, ,sand it now appears that a delay
of but little more than week would have per-
mitted not only the establishment of the sta
tion but would have them again in close COM
munication with the Yantic, for as Lieut. Gar
lington says as it turned out to every ones sur
prise the Yantic saw no ice in Melville Bay
and had an uninterrupted passage to Littleton
Island. Lieut.. Garlington's singularly unfor-
tunate errors in judgment as to his own safety
in going in one direction and as to the Yantic's
danger in coming from an opposite direction
were each productive of disaster