New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-05
THE GREEDY COLONY.
LETTER FROM DIR. G. Fl. MERRIAM.
REMARKS UPON THE RELIEF EXPEDITIONS, PAST
AND PROSPECTIVE.
To me Edftor OF re rrioune.

AND PROSPECTIVE.
| To the Editor or Tte Tribune.
SIR: On reaching Newfoundland a few
weeks ago. after sealing voyage among the heavy foes
Of Arctic ice was frequently addressed with remarks
concerning the Greedy colony at Lady Franklin Bay and
expeditions that have been are to be- sent north
ward for its relief; and it is humiating to state that
what have heard reflects little credit upon our Govern
people. For obvious reasons it is unneees
sary 10 speak OF the dscredabe conduct OF OF tho
members Of the original party; and 1t Is already too
well known here that the officer who sent out last
summer to make the necessary arrangements for the
relief expedition, dsraoed not only himself but his
country we'll The only man with Lieutenant Greedy.
excepting the two Eskimo Og-dryers, possessing any
personal knowledge OF Arctic phenomena and an Arctic
winter, Dr. Pavy. eccentric bat enthusiastic
naturalist who had spent the previous winter at Ritten
bank and Proven. The privates who made the body
OF the expedition had bad experience whatever with
ice navigation. with the kind OF life they about
to enter upon, and therefore untitled for many Of
the duties they might be called upon TO perform.
When alluded to the terrible prevalence OF drunken
meas in Newfoundland, met with the mDrtifying
retOrt that our people much worse-and the
inhabitants judge from the samples sent thither by
Government They speak highly of Lieutenant Greedy
and DIR. Hoadey tTHE TRBUSE's correspondent. but
most OF the others mentioned with anythin but ad
miration viii the relief expedition organizing at
Washington be worthy OF respect than its prede
cessors and will II be properly managed and equipped
for the grave mission which IL is TO he sent These
serious questions. Our people cannot afford TO be
dis graced In foreign lands and the surviving members
of the Greedy colony not rescued by thepary about
be dispatched for their they must almost
tainly perish.
In the matter OF vessels THE TRIBUNE has hit the nail
the head In suggesting that two ships be sent instead
OF one In Newfoundland this plan Is universally
garded the only expedient and extended argu
required to demonstrate its correctness There
no Disgusting the fact that many dangers surround
and In ali Arctic expeditions. and that
the presence OF another vessel In the rear sordng
Of escape In OF disaster. would inspire the
OF the first ship with greater confidence TO push
through available lead The second vessel need
enter the northern pack-ice at al. but should
deavor land the house and colony at Life Boat Cove
In accordance with Lieutenant Greey's instructions
She should then remain at the limit Of open water,
whether in the per part OF Bafn's Bay Smith
Found that her would be certain Mt the end Of
tho II the first vessel the way 10 from
Lady Franklin Bay, should chance TO get caught In the
and be forced to winter there Thy
likely occurrence the second would return and bring
the OF the safety Of the other party whereas
there but vessel and IL detained the gravest fears
might reasonably be entertained concerning the fate Of
crew. Nothing would be gained in the way Of time
by having either vessel winter at Upernavk Disco for
these ports easily reached in ten days sail from St.
Johns and the upper part OF Bafn's Bay Is open
before the first OF July.
of the vessels should be selected from the smaller
sealing ships say Of $50 to 800 resier aud
should the boiler aud engines aft that the broad
st part OF the craft tsmdshipsl would be properly
BRA ced Withstand the tremendous pressure OF jam
between two ice foes. When damned, Il small vessei |
will sometimes ride M the foe where a large and
heavy ship would inevitably be crushed Moreover IL
manageable, be turned in less time and In
smaller space, and In every way under better control
than large All the Newfoundland sealing steam
ships built expressly for ice navigation and pro-
vided with propeleTs and rudders with wells and
gearing for shipping the at in of breakage
and heavily sheathed with tropical iron-wOOd We
nave no such vessels In the United States.
Among the Newfoundland ce-masters OF large eEperf
,nce may be mentioned Captain Richard Pike. In
addition his practical knowledge OF the movements OF
Arctic ice, gained dng forty years OF hunting IL
he who took the Greedy colony Discovery Hargor
the Proteus in 1851. Dogs comparatively scarce
md command very high prces In Greenland. They may
had trained sledging. both in Newfoundland and
.abrador for much less money than at D,co or Uper-
laylk And IL Is worth bearing IN mind that the only
logs that survived the long and dreary Arctic nights
Dr.. Kanes second Grnnel expedition Sewfound-
and dogs Labrador dog-drfvers superior 20 the
Greenland Eskimo in several ways They equally
God drivers far better hHnter and possess many
ther useful accomplishments. They also speak Eng
sh. which In itself Is a great advantage
lnstcan Oh SELECTING men OF the party |
rom the dregs OF army has been done hereto
Drej. why not follow DR. noadley's suggestion and
bocse them from the hardy and daring Newfoundland
cal fishermen, who class better fitted to make
heir way and among ice foes than any other men
hat can be found" Labrador and the northwest coast
Newfoundland known as the French Shore -" could
Irnsh any number OF very best OF for Arctic e1
lofaton These hardy toiers Of the sea" are Injured
hardship and priyaon from earliest childhood and
often forced by cruel necessity to the poorest food
pon which human beings subsist. Their entire !
YES are spent in battling with the waves and lee and
leir superiority Of the we'll -nbber
rivstes OF our army Ia strkingy apparent IL may be
entioned incidentally 70 prevent the repetition Of
,ok, and couple OF common soldiers inexperienced In
10 art had 10 assume this important function. under
le guidance Of the surgeon. DIR. Pnyy.
your issue OF April Dr. +. H. Hoadley. surgeon to
e nrst rellei efpea9n has shown 70 clearly the i'm
nrnoy between IL aud life Boat Cove that il would ne
perfuous 10 the matter here were IL not for
Unfortunate fact that te public In general the Signal
RIBusE M we'll fail utterly appreciate the nature
nd magnitude OF the obstacles In the way OF such -
uTney While In direct line the distance about 200 ~
geographical miles, the actual distance be rayersed ~
the party is more than 800 miles: II the ice were
vel and smooth and there were no fierce storms en-
unter the survivors Of the Greedy colony might with
me hope OF success set out to haul their heavy sedges
% miles over the treacherous ice, In Temperature
ngng from 500 to 700 Fair. below zero. But unhap-
ly the ice is broken and RATED and heaped in AL drec
so that the weary travellers perhaps enfeebed by III
and parayzed by excessive cold drag their "a
ANY loads over large ana Irregular piles
ust climb Jagged pinnaces, and wade IaborionsIy NJ
rough deep drifts Of snow at times exposed to the
erciess fury of Arctic gale The way is frequently a.
peded by huge icebergs and by assures In the foe I"
detours OF many miles. In fact, one m
no picked his way Arctic Ice can form
t vague and imperfect Idea OF the terrible reality
d extent of the almost insnrmounsble difficulties TO
overcome An average Of five miles lay would be | vi
estimate OF the distance the party with the Ing 81
ge would be likely to make; hence they could reach "a
fe Boat Cove by travelling only 300 miles two II
,nhs time would be required for the ourneyl And ca
- nnossthie IN nroceed sf ali dnrino tbs nu
the long and dark Arctic night ~,
word another point At various times since the re
urn OF the first relief expedition have been told
ugh the press that fears Fed he entertained con-
ming the welfare OF the Greedy colony and that some
them had doubtless visited LttletOn Island and se-
mail and provisions left there by the relief p
itiOn before the latter had reached hOme When the Ne