Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-16
SHUT UP IN THE ARCTIC.
Red Tape that Imperils the Expedition
for the Relief of Twenty-Five Men.
Wd8AiHgtOn Special Boston Post.

HdShtHgt0H Spectdt Boston Post.
! The Secretary of War has come to the
/ conclusion that Congress at its last ses-
siOE did not appropriate money enough to
pay for the expenses of the two expedi-
tlons intended for the relief of Lieutenant
Greeley's and Lieutenant Rays arctic
stations at Lady Franklin Bay and Point
Barrow. The amount appropriated was
$93,OOO. The Lady Franklin Bay expedi-
ton was first authorized in 1890, by the
act which provided for the acceptance
of the Gulnare from Captain HOwgate.
1t was not necessarily a part of
the work = of the Signal Service.
nor was that service alluded to i'm
the first law. At least this is the argu-
ment of officers of the corps. 1t was 'Ifor
purposes of scientific observation and.ex-
ploration, and to develop new whaling
grounds" No appropriation was made
by the original act, and the Gulnare failed
to accomplish its object. Then Congress
authorized the continuance of the work.
which was to be carried on ''by officers or
other persons of the public service" de-
tailed by the President. The new eXpedi-
ton went out in command of Lieutenant
Greeley, an enthusiastic scientist, who
volunteered to spend three years i'm the
Arctic regions. Lieutenant Greeley was
Il Signal officer, and the Arctic ex-
peditiOn has thus come to be classed
gress enacted that all expendi-
lures for the Signal Service should be es-
tlmated Tor by items, and the law for the
coming fiscal year is based OH such esti
mates. Lieutenants Greeley and Raw are
to be ordered home and the arctic stations
broken up. 1t has always been under
stood that the relief expedition should be
manned principally from details from the
line OF the army under the provision of the
first act, permitting the President to de-
tau persons of the public service for this
arctic work. This permission has been
taken advantage of for two. years, and
men of the line are already detailed for
the coming expedition, which will remain
IN the north during next winter
IL the ship shall meet with
the impossible obstacles encountered
last year by the Neptune. Lieutenant
Darlington, who goes in command, is also
detailed from the line of the army, The
original act authorized the furnishing of
the necessary supplies to the persons de-
tailed for the expedition. The Secretary
now thinks that the provision of law
passed by the last Congress, at it's first
session, requiring appropriations for the
Signal Service to be itemized, has in some
way set aside the authority given by the
original law. The men of the army who
Will go north, and their supplies We're ap-
proprIated for as part of the army, but
not for signal duty. The Secretary
thinks that therefore the money ap-
prOpriated by the army bill is not
available for the pay and supply of the
men if they are detailed to do signal SER
vice duty. This is an important matter,
for the decision imperils the twenty-five
officers and men who have been almost
two years in the arctic regions without
communication with home, and who are
now anXiOusly looking for relief. If the
Secretary is right he has not money
enough for the relief expedition. The
amount appropriated is $4,000. The
Point Barrow expedition will cost $4,000.
This leaves $4,000 for Lady Franklin
Bay. The cost of the steamer for three
and half months will be 24,jO0, leaving
only $4,000 for the purchase .Of
quartermaster stores, buildings for win
ter quarters, sledges, dogs, skins, etc.,
and the pay of eight men of the line
of the army, an ice pilot, dog driver and
two sealers. Five thousand dollars are
appropriated for subsistence, but that is
$1,000 or $4,000 less than will be needed |
Congress has left the Secretary in a very
delicate position if it is necessary that a
decision be reached soon, for it is time to |
charter the vessel that will take the party |
TO It's destination, or as near there as the |
ice will permit. The Secretary is anx-
ious to cOnstrue the law so that there |
shall be no delay about sending the YES
sci, and there probably will be money,
although there is likely to be or may be a
deficiency