New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-14
THE LOSS OF THE PROTEUS.
CONCLUSIONS OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY

oARIIg6TON's ERRORS or JUDGNENi-ihh VIM
SIGNAL OFFICER SEVERELY cENsuREp'
WASHINGTON Feb. 13-The report OF the fro e,os
Court of Inquiry was transmitted by the IreAl"sAs
70 the Senate to-day. The innings "a w."
unmarried follows: , .,. pvo-
..,, erred I'm not waiting longer at Pandora ha'p"''
nth the object of obtaining from the hah'lo pf"s
nth which 10 make depot for o "ln'ei S'". =
Taoa. Point or Lttleton Island-the oolecuFe po"o
tho retreat which Lieutenant Greedy mao peen o'
eee,u al Lady Franklin Bay not Later than septehoe
1sea Lieutenant Garngton's error In this respects
REGARDED as one Judgment committed IN the eherese
af difficult and unusual discretion for which, In Tue
eu,on of the court he should not be held 10 rner 40
.an.tahhty IL Ia also due TO him to say that In the
General conduct expedition PRIOR to the loss OF the
saip he displayed ZEAL energy and efficiency as wen A.
attarward In successfully conducting his command
through long, perous and borious retreat In boats TO
place OF safety.
While awarding credit to General Hazen, the Chief
Signal Officer Of Army, for the best intentions In de-
wishing measures for the OF the command OF Leu
tenant Greedy and for an earnest desire-wich was
,n,ossibe that he should have entertaned-to re-
store those to their country ana hone
utter two years exile from the world OF humanty ana
while further commencing the study and care OF uehera
azeu and OF his assistants the Signal Office In 1883 IN
the preparation OF the outfit and material OF the eA
pedion Of that year and the selection of It's personnel
the Court Is opinion that in many particulars ana In
some OF the gravest moment, he failed In an adequate
comprehension OF the necessities OF the case anu % INC
measures and means essential to meet them lhe loi
lowing grave errors and omissions are noted III MS ae
ton:
First In not submitting in the fall of 1882 to the Score
tary Of War for the action of Congress sufficient plan
with corresponding estimates for the organization ana
equipment of complete and efficient rehef expeuon 10
be conveyed in two vessels fitted for ice naViSatoh
whereby the chances of failure would have been greatly
diminished.
Second In obectng strongly in the fall of 1882 to pro
posed endeavors by the War Department to obtain from
The Navy the men for the relief party OF dSS9 unon
Third In sending Independents cohundlu uton"
most perilous aud responsible as well as distant ex
pedition, with only commissioned Oneer ,,.
Fos,rh In informing Lieutenant Darlington IN LIS III
structons that Lieutenant Greey's supplies would De
kuowIedgc were within ready reach in the signal once
to show that Lieutenant Greelys comhana was July
proyisoned for than three years from the summer
OF 1881 the natural effect OF s being 70 ge ~ Tee1
Darlington TO undue IN Aenee anu ntse 70 rec, ~
Lady Franklin Bay with all the stores nlrusted 10 nis
charge, and obscure from his mental vision aef ae
ship aud cargo had gone down re nace of s dss
ter In order Lieutenant Greedy before coming down
to his Se>provded Stallion al Lady Franklin Bay.
F(Da His persistent rejection OF the wlsest measure
mat IL remained possible for him 10 adopt in the spring
of 1888 and wHcn repeatedly urged upon his consul
tie relief sliI, OF arge depot for a winter AT or
IdttletOn Island (e objective point OF the projected re-
been hghened OF stores which nowise necessary
Go carry Lady Franklin Bay or TO expose to the
DANCERS of smith Sound whereby the subsequent
oss OF the would been Of comparatively TIL
vial consequence
HAzEN's REASONS REPLIED TO.
The explanations offered by the Chief Signal Officer of
his decision not so to make depot that 1t would be de-
Walton from Lieutenant Greelys plan OF relief are,
rs has already been shown, utterly untenable and
Illogical of action between the retreang and
the relieving parties was undoubtedly important but this
being plInce with all Lieutenant Greelys
the location or depOts or OTHERWISE now
could any Intelligent Difference requests either
their letter, forbid tnat turthef
and should be devised and taken With view 10
unloading at or near Iteton Island the way north
ward. Lieutenant Greedy asked to have winter station
made for him near that place IL one-hali or two mrds
OF the stores OF the expedition had been ded al inc
entrance Smith Sound there would have been secured
ment Of Lieutenant Greelys wishes and urgent Reeds
OF the heavy ice pack habualy present IN that water
And while delay Of few days would nave re Inv Owed
to Lady Franklin Bay-whoh was not esseltial-tae
ems serious danger the lives Of Lieutenant Greedy and
the further reason that General Hazen
assigns for his action - that the naval
tender would be itself depot was-as has already been
shown-whoily fallsclous and unlounded: 5000
failing to "a nseeS T N "a sefSne
the Navy Department of what such tender was wanted 70
wanted TO until fortnight later,
made immediately after the enactment of appropria-
ton which authorized the expedition two months sooner
and that much longer notice given To enable more com
plete fitting up of a ship for the purpose.
SepentThe omission of proper directions and meas
the most important material for the purposes OF the
owing to omission IL was unknown to either Lieu
tenant Darlington the master Of the snip where the
arms ammunition provided for the party stored
snd upon the the ship the command was left with
only the few and comparatively small amount of
powder and kept i'm their personal
session IL vital Importance thar tine cargo snould
be 30 slowed that its most essential contents would DC
easily accessible and removable In an mergency !
The Instructions 10 Lieutenant Darlington were Dsuic-
Tent while he denied permission to proceed IN al
vance TO st. JOINS 70 attend to the matter which was
committed 10 the sale care of nOBeomnissoned officer
JOHNS FOR that purpose Ii sufficient quantity of
and ammunition had been saved, Geache OF them might
have been the of Lieutenant Greely -the
amount whose supply of this indispensable material
has not been MADE KNOWN 10 tne court ana however
entirely exhausted
THE SUPPLEMENTARY INSTRUCTION.
EagAA-The lax, negligent and defective method of
keeping record Of public business and conducting the
correspondence in the Signal Office, illustrated d. the
action of the Chief na Officer in regard to the s0eaed
supplementary instruction, order TO Lieutenant Gar
hng1On-whch in fact, was no order at ALL General |
utzens attention called to document in the nature
order, placed by OF his STAFF with tue orders 10
Lieutenant Darlington in that officers hands, wioutas
the Chief signal officer testihcshis conscious
authority. lie cOntented himself with telling the |
Lieutenant that tne paper was no p% PAT o, ms
orders, without calling TO, to account the oiheer
10 give order, even suggestion in conflict |
with OF the written orders signed by himself.
the signal Officer. lie certainly ought TO have
Withdrawn paper containing the contradictory di-
Suggestion to the acting aduant OF the office,
with orders 10 cancel 1t, and If record To eSpunge
teeiron unless indeed he was prepared TO make an
and enbody II IN the Instructions over his
signature. On tie contrary he takes none OF these |
steps, but wholly omts TO acquain his acting adjutant
with his conversation WITH and last oral Instructors
Lieutenant Darlington and leaves that adutdnt uuder
tic IMPRESSION that memorandum which he
that he desk the Chief Signal OiiceF
With the Instructions for the expedition aud with them
received back without comment for transmission ~ Lieu
tenant Garbngton-was sai Elementary order post
script TO the Instructions OF that officer From which
course OF action II resulted that the memorandum
recorded as an Enclosure TO Lieutenant GaTlngtO
attractions, and afterward published country ~ an
indication that lac had been guilty OF dsObedienca of !
orders II failing 10 make dek near IttIeton
Island on his voyage northwaTd
III any further illustrations needed of the mis-
ohevous conducting official business N wanIa
he aalla % be thntif