The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-09-22

ana crew Of the PrOteuS. The rest OF
the party is to remain at I.ittleton
Island until the Proteus returns or her
crew and the expcditionary force sue
ceeds in reaching there. The tender
may go to the south, leaving full par
ticuiars at Littletun Island. Signals by
flags, hiliograph and guns should be
preconccrtcd, and communication by
these means should he maintained be-
tween the two vessels as long ms possi-
bic after they are separated by the
passage north of the i'rotcus. Nothing
in the nnrthwarh movement must be
allowed to rctard the progress OF the
PrOtcuS. II is OF the utmost impor
tancc that she get up 10 Lady Frank
Bay"
TIT. INSTRUCTIONS NOT fuiLoWED.
From all information thus far rsceiv-
eel it WOnid appear that Lieut.. CARING
ton either di4regaslea or iUui,'i il i'm
pGssibl" TO obey these supplemental
orders, with regard to the landing of
the house and stores on his way north,
since the Proteus WAS crushed with all
her stores on board, after she had pass
ed the point where the stores should
have been landed, and while she was
engaged i'll the extremely hazardous
navigation of Smiths Sound. it, the
absence of any definite information
from Lieut.. Garlington as 10 his reasons
for the adoption of the course he pur-
sued and which led to the total failure
OF the plans for lLieut. Greeiey's relief,
the officers of the signal service have
declined to express any opinion or
make any statement for publication at
present.
The Secretary Of War, the Assistant
Secretary OF the Navy and the acting
chief signal officer are in consultation
upon the situation of affairs, but have
not devised any practical plan for the
Lady Franklin Bay party.
Officers OF the signal service here
freely admit the present situation OF af-
fairs is serious, but do not regard it in
any sense as hopeless. In the first
place, they say Lieut.. Greclcy's party
had originally a supply Of provisions
to last three years, or till the summer
of 1854. This supply they think must
have been very considerably aug
mented by fish and game, procurable in
the immediate vicinity of Lady Frank
lin Bay station; so, il the party remains
there, it will not be in danger OF Starva-
ton before next summer.
Gen. IIaZen's order to Lieut.. GarliAg-
ton it Is true, stated that the food sup
ply Of Lieut.. Grcely's party would not
be exhausted during the present fall,
but it is said At the signal Once this
was an extreme statement, based upon
the most unfavorable supposition as to
the amount, consumption, waste, loss,
etc, and did not allow for any care or
economy in the use Of food, or for any
increase of the available supply by
means Of hunting and fishing. 1t was
statement OF the worst possible as
pect Of the case, intended TO emphasize
the necessity OF relieving 1t. t.recley'a
party at once. 1t is positively asserted
therefore, by the acting signal officer
that notwithstanding contrary state
ments in Gen. Hazen's order 70 Lieut..
Darlington, Lieut.. Greeley has rrovis-
ions enough at Lady Franklin Bay
station to last him till the summer of
1884, if he remains there till that time.
II, however, as seems more probable
to the authorities here, he should have
abandoned his station on the fSt OF Sep
tember and rctrcatei down the coaS.
of Grinnell Land to the mouth of
Sulllu 'Nbiili. cAItttilit, 10 liit liltl'
the relief party and depot OF stores.
HIS STU ALTON MAY SHORTLY Hr,nNE
CRITICAL.
How largo il quantity of provisions he
would find 1t Cape Sabine aud Little
ton Island is not known, but il j. fear
cal the supplies left there last year and
the small quantity saved from the
wreck OF the rrOtcu5 would not main
tain Lieut.. Greeley and his men at the
mouth Of Smiths Sound through the
coming winter, even If the party had
shelter and fuel. Some help might be
obtained from the f,SquimauY of Green
land coast, could Lieut.. Greeley find
aud open communication with them,
but this il admitted to bc uncertain.
1T has been suggested that another
ship he sent from St. Johns to tiIe
month OF Smiths Sound, and also that
a sledge party be dispatched up the
Greenland Coast, but no course Of future
action has as yet been decided upon.
At the War Department officers say
they can form no plans until they re-
ceiVe fuller Information from Lieut..
darlington, who has been asked for
suggestions.
Persons here who are not connected
with the War or Navy Departments,
but who have long been interested in
Arctic searches and are familiar with
the history of explorations in Smith y
Sound, express grave doubts rs to the
! ,,L, in,,t t.rtN~ fg