New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-01

has written to the Chief Signal Officer reply TO
the communication Of the latter, transmitting
Lieutenant Garngton's report Of the relief expe-
ditiOn to Smiths Sound. The letter, in large part,
is as follows:
1t needless to say to yon that the disastrous failure Of
this reief expedition, upon the Of which de-
pended perhaps hereafter be learned the lives
OF number Of men, has widely excited public attention,
and that there Is general desire TO understand clearly
the Of this failure, and that 1t may 10
known where the responsibility therefor rests. it
IL apparent that two things At least omitted,
either one Of which being done, the general object
of the expedition would have been accomplished
up TO q certain point, and the party not seriously
crippled, would have been left at a place frotl
which IL could have proceeded TO execute liz furthf
plans the relief of Lieutenant Greey and his partv.
The loss of the Proteus alone happening where 1t d
might have been matter OF no importance IL was n
contemplated II it failed to reach Lady Franklin ~
1t to ST. Johns leaving the relief party "A
winter quarters near Litticton Island
II Lieutenant Darlington had prdently made basf x
supplies 1ittleton Island, IL would have be-
matter of little consequence to him or his party wheiu
thPrOeus went TO st. Johns, without oss OF me- %
the bottom OF the On the other hand II the P
teus had succeeded reaching Lady Franklin Bay if3
extra stores would not understand, have been nee
by Lieutenant Greeley, who there abundantly pr-
vided for and the taking Of these extra stores past
Teton Island not only useless for any purpose, az
conceive, but fatal risk.
IL would therefore, that the direction containet
the memorandum mentioned in your letter. that Liei-
Darlington should In going up establish bas 4
supplies, a most prudent measure, the omission <
which, after IL had been thought or 1t Is as dic ~
TO understand az 1t to be deeply regretted It Is nov
clear that Ii orler TO Leltenant CARING
tOn but IL equally clear that having seen IT, and h7-
ing under your orders discretion, he could not havs
done more wisely than follow the particular suggc
tOn contained in it, in it. above mentioned
THE HISTORY OF THE MEMORANDUM.
consider necessary inquire further into The his
tory this memorandum 1t appeared as looae paper,
ncosed with your letter of instructions 70 Lieutenant
Garngtou dated June 1888, but 1t is not mentioned in
that letter am advised by the Secretary Of the Navy
while he preparing his orders for the Yane you
furnished his department with supposed copy oI mat
letter. which like did not mention the memo
randum and did inclOse 1t. This copy, as did tho
original covered four mentioned ncosuros but only one
Of these seems have been like its original The three
other inclosures seen, differ entirely from those
with the gna and do not Of course meet their
own description as found In the body OF the supposed
copy Of the original letter. After the teegraphc repors
of the disaster were received upon the request OF tao
Secretary OF the Navy, directed the acting Chief signal
Oicer In your absence prepare for ami furnish to tue
Secretary OF the Navy copy OF your Instructions 70 Le
tenant Darlington. This LAST, as furnished, con-
talns only three Enclosures, four being mentioned
in the body Of the letter. One OF them was
letter; another substantially like one OF those with
the r copy above mentioned, and the third was marked
Enclosure 4" Tan inclOsure being noted III the ieter'
and Is a copy memorandum" in question These
papers were OF supposed by The secretary
OF the Navy and myself be, stated, an authentic
copy OF your instructions Lieutenant CARING on and
we conferences formed opinion as to his nav
ing disobeyed an which 1t appears be dd not
In fact receive as order.
EXPLANATIONS ASKED.
Ihave had prepared and here with inclOse tabuated
statement and Of the aforementioned dis-
crepances Others Of less Importance exist hg
aforementioned papers which 10 Is thought ougn'
to alike and request to be advised what explanation
there IT, any, these discrepancies and further whas
te records Of Your office show have been done VITA
the aforementioned" after its original prepdraion'
and in Lieutenant Darlington had himself vh
lost upon this expedition would have prevented the reSe
ing upon his record OF the hnputaon or having dsopey
positive instruction landing his extra stores at "r
near Littleton Island on his way north may aso ''"
that observe IN the agreement between yourself and e
owners of The under which IL started upon l.
expedition clause providing for the sale ny the ftoes
" Lieutenant Greey's party at Lady tfahhih bay Vi
COAL needed the amount of seventy tons peg lhs
you will advise why IT was supposed that thit parry
might have the benefit OF contract Tor iuei 10
that amount In case the had succeeded III reach
ing Lady Franklin Bay.
The other important omission 10 whcn nave icierre"
ia the failure OF Lieutenant Darlington to Keep Ills spn
conpany with the Yantc have not observed III any of
hs papers satisfactory explanation AS to his reasons r
permng the Proteus 10 be separated from the fah'io
hafore their arrival at Lttleon Island or its neighbour
hood He was informed 10y his letter OF Instructions 'has
the Yantlc would accompany him as Tar a. L''e'"n
island. The assistance of the Navy IN this way was
regarded by us as adding greatly TO the probable success
NJ the exuedition and almost perfect protection
oganst yreat disaster Bat, instead OF sailing together
rho OF the vessels conducted that for
an the good the Yantic TO Lieutenant Greeiys party
in any way Lieutenant Garlngtons reief party III
saving their lives their supplies the fantc might as
wen have left ST. Johns In 1854 when II did,
Ar the very outset ST. Johns II appears
,rop, these papers that Lieutenant Garing-
ton and the commander OF the fantic made an
agreement embodied Ia an unsigned written mehorun-
dmn that upon leaving St. Johns the Proteus was I'd
steam and Yantc TO under sail ana the agree
meu does not seem 10 contemplate the probability OK
their being again IN company until about august 20 az
Pandora Hsrbor, not far from Ltteton isand. AS |"
happene Lieutenant Darlington was still at Gothavn
when on July the Yantic arrived there the cohahaer
OF the Yanc saying that he would have 10 remain aooas
a week 10 make some repairs, anu 10 COAL
The Protcus remained four Gays OF this X, ind'
without waiting the other three days, steamed away
,oue 10 become wreck Instead of using the fantc as
a convoy and companion, the PfOteus was moved oy
written agreement ana ny "eseh, as 'no"sn 's'"P"e
from the lantc.
THE SECRETARY OF WAR NOT SATISFIED.
am not satisfied with Lieutenant Garlington's ex-
planaion OF the causes which led him into the very
grave and perhaps fatal OF going eouth from Little
Ion Island after the loss OF the Proteus. he had re-
mained there would have been succored by the iantc
in ght days. and relief station for Lieutenant Grces
party would have been established The loss OF the Pro
| teus would have been little more than an
! inconvenience. 1 cannot understand how IL was
that while July % his way north, when IN his own
words the weather perfect, calm, warm deiiSht-
~. there ice rs Tar as oonld be -a'h ifVn
the crow nest wit aid OF N,ry poweru tel scope,
IA. iet safe away from all eommuni s.ion WIN
the Yantic that he necessity OF making ps~e
OF supplies at Iitelon Island, yet ioir
days later at the same place he dd not suppose mo
Yantic could get up whore he AMI 40 put 10 sea
with all his party in small boats IN an Arctic ocean iho
Y,ntic bound 90 there. Imagine, III possible t"o
reception which the commander the Yantic would nave
had Ii ne had returned september with no news
of and without having been 10 ittleton isai