The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-18

HOW IT WILL BE CONDUCTED AND WHEN |
WILL START.

HOW IL WILL BE CONDUCTED AND WHEN 1T
WILL START.
A Washington telegram SAYS: Reports
have recently been published that much
uneasinesS Is felt about the safety OF Lieu
tenant Greeley's meteorological party at
Lady Franklin bay. There is danger. 1t
has been said. that the relief expedition
viii fail TO reach its destination; that Lieu
tenant Greelcy's party will be forced TO re-
treat unaided down the rugged coast OF
Grinnell Land next winter. and that this
enforced retreat may be rs disastrous as
that OF Lieutenant-C Commander De Long
through the Lena Delta. Fort Conger, which
is the station established by Lieutenant
Greeley, Is on the eastern coast OF Grinneh
Land just north OF Lady Franklin bay. IN
about latitude 81 degrees 10 minutes. Inc
coast Of Grinnell Land Is extremely wild,
rugged, and desolate. The nearest perma-
nent settlement OF natives Is that OF the
Etah Eskimos, on the other side OF Smiths
Sound. $50 miles or more from the station.
Lieutenant Greeley's party, therefore, Is
entirely Isolated. The party is supplied
with provisions enough 10 last until the
summer OF 1884. but il is Lieutenant Gree
ley's intention 10 retreat southwark down
the coast OF Grinnell Land next winter.
The relief expedition. which is now or
ganjzinc. will consist OF fourteen men,
including a capable ice-pilot and three
exnerienccd sailors. and will be under the
command OF Lieutenant Darlington. OF the
Seventh cavalry. IL will be abundanily
supplied with provisions. sledgeS. fur
clothing, and necessary equipments OF ali
kinds for a winter campaign, and will sail
from -. Johns, y. T., about the 1st OF
next July. This steamer should reach the
mouth of Smiths Sound before the LIST OF
August, and will then be only about 200
nautical miles from Lieutenant Greeley's
station. 1t Is more than probable that
Smiths Sound will be 50 blocked up with
heavy pack-ice and immense bergS from the
HumbOt glacier that il will be impenetra-
BILE. In this event the relief party will be
landed with a ready-made house and all the
stores at Life-BOat Cove. on the eastern side
OF the sound. opposite Cape Sabine, where
they will 20 INTO winter quarters. The
steamer will then return 10 America. As
early in the fall rs practicable Lieutenant
Darlington will open communication with
the Etah Eskimos and organize dog
sledge party with native drivers TO cross
Smiths Sound 10 Cape Sabine or Cape
Hawks, and then proceed northward up
the coast OF Grinnel Land to Lieutenant
Greeley's station. In the mean time Lieu
tenant Greeley will have abandoned his
station and will have started on his retreat
down the same coast, so that the two par-
ties are likely TO meet. Along the line OF
Lieutenant Grceley's retreat there are four
caches OF provisions. amounting in the az
gregate 10 about i.200 rations. or enough
TO supply his party with food for forty
or fifty days. 30 far rs food is
concerned. therefore, Lieutenant Gree
ley's retreat would seem to be Sc
cured. He could. it is thought. make the
distance between the station and the head
quarters Of the relief party in sixty days if
he could make il at all. Officers OF the
Signal Service say. therefore, that there is
little or no danger Of such 4 catastrophe
on the coast OF Grinnell Land rs that which
occurred in the Lena Delta. De Long was
in region Of whose geography he was en-
tirely ignorant. while Greeley will be on a
coast with which he Is well acquainted,
and one whose outlines have been care
fully charted. De Long had no provisions
to start with. while Greeley will start with
full sledges, and can resupply himself at
four different places in distance Of 300 or
23O nautical miles. De Long had no assist
ancc or cooperation, while Greeley will be
met by relief party acting under written
orders previously drawn up by Greeley
himself in view Of this very emergency.