New-York tribune., 1884-11-14
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.
REPORT or THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER.


oNy.
WAsuINGroN, Nov. 13.--In his annual report
10 the Secretary War, General ". H. iiaaaiis ehe'
signal officer dcvocs considerable space To the "ieeV
Arctic colony aud the various expeditions sent 10 us
rocf the latter the frat was th oil me s'oa H'o'
Nepnne, which dispatched In lSS2 Win n prope'
relief party and adequate supplies. IN charge OF W. W.
Becbe r Of the general service Of the Army but iaed
to reach tho station because of inpassble ioe-barerS
After watching for opening through the so'd ice o
Smiths Sound and Kanes Sea until the nayigape sesoh
In the latitude had nearly closed and discovering hohe
thc expedition made caches Of supplies at The most
norherly points OF land that IL attaihoo "nu ""
returned 10 1t. Johns.
The steam seaer Proteus Of ST. Johns continues
General Hazcn chartered as the reic' sup ior'
1883. That vessel had borne Lieutenant Greep 10 n'
station in 1881. and ho had afterward highly com
mcnded aId her captain rs in all respects wei quar-
,eod for that duty Asameasurc OF precaution the
Secretary OF War; on my special arpaon requested the
Navy Department detail suitable vessel OF the Navy
70 accompany the relief ship as far north as iA'e'oh
Island. The steamship Iantic. Commander franh
wides United states Navy, accordingly assigned 10
that duty She placed in dock and heavily sheatheo
with oak paukng aud her battery and ordn stores
landed and IL was believed that she IN all respects
tboroughy equipped for that special service In view o
the possibe destruction of TIE Proie's. Comilah"er
Wdcs was o,dered TO proceed as far nofh as paccn"
in order afford TO her officers and crew ih c
norhward through Davis straits in company with the
proeus IL practicable but not to enter the lco-pack OF
proceed bcy ond Littleton Island.
GARIINGToN's ILL-FATED EXPEDITION.
"Ii,uenant l.. A. Darlington, 7h Cavalry. United
states Army assigned to the command oI the Icici
pary by order the Secretary OF Wat no having vol
unteercd and beng recommended as suitable oicer
for that service by the general commanding the Depart
nen of Dakota where hat been stationed for seVer
wears Lieu enant Garlngton's instructions embod'cd
the pan OF Lieutenant Greey, and he vas ordered 10
follow closely. Informed that he would accompanied Dy
ship of United States Navy. the iantc "a Tar IA
Lttleon Island to render him such aid - might become
necessary and might be determined by the captain OF
that ship and himself when on the spot
The relief expedition. consisting OF those vessels.
sailed from ST. Johns, IN company, on June ~, ana
v,luntar, se1arated on the same day; the Pr0teus
ON nar arrival Godbayen heny five days III advance o
tie Yantic. They were again ia company at the last
named pint on Juy IL. and remained together theIe
until July l6. the Proieus again proceeded north
ward alone and days later was crushed III te lee
pack of smiths sound and sunk with hrary All hef
stores At the tire OF the sinking OF the Proteis on
Cape sabine. Ju 80 the lniic. hat was orlereh 10
h. at Itteton Island II preticabe TO meet Jus -9en an
emergency The designated reserve snip Oi the eNpedlto
was distant frum Lllteton Island more than LOU mo,.
Itruruau Darlington. the day succeeding the wreck
proceeded wih the relief Marty to lhe-Boat cove near
iittlclon island. and, without hang to await the
arrival o bis reserve SHIP set OUT a one soutN9r m
I'm small boats carrying oil with him iul ralions lot
tirfy seven men, for forty days al least heinz three
fourh- of the provisions saved from the wreck leaving
less Than one fourth cached Tor Grerly ana party o
nnd nIrty boarded he Yartc Upernayik or -eplc'n-
Der = She hal arrived at Littlcon Island on August s.
only five days after ho rcio party had /" thh Nrly
and started ithw rd the same day, without leaving
ration out OF her sdperabnndaat stores ,or T., t'S
Tis aha, onncnt OF Lieutenant Grccy and his party
to probable starvation. by Officers whose "niy rrsluh
in those waters to succor them, display od lament
able disregard Of grave responsible iucs Nhrh lne
cnnyoy was IN nt 1t but three days seaming fron
Littlcou Island. fully stored with supple out o when
ample provision for Lieutenant 1rreiy ana tho
rpp ~ p1r
those Cape sabine and Ltleton SAM ana II W.s wa,
comparaty,y In the early season Yet tue convoy ilh
,ni icturn 10 lcaye -uccor did the commander the
relief. Lieutenant Garngton, demand II, luneIIlaey
upon the return of the sirs - - J2nn = us % mra ,
did nl In s power to have other snp- sent trom tnh
poimt unsuccessful, after having hrcn a-7cu
that II would hc done. II N now almost 'cr,a,i % ,'.
had any of these steps been akenloss o' llr ah u'"u
would have boon aycrted. aud tho cost OF II, snip
from II Johns last autumn wonlh nave Doeh pht
small part OF the expense oi the hhal relel'
rIE FATE or rnE COLONIsrs.
Lieutenant Greey meantime carried out his instrnc-
tions literally. icaying hts station aud beginning his
southward Journey with his entire company IN good
ocr The subsequent disasters and the final rescue 0f
portion colony by Comm indir Schey are reatou
briefly The work performed by Commander aohey
Is declared 10 have been most pTdseWorihy ana
Up To- the return o' tho expedition this year." says
General lalcn, had hoped there would he no occasion
for rt,ng the question OF blame ~ tins or any uture
ilne Bnt new lisnt has been upon the subject.
h.tory and Justice To ALL call, Tor sucn impartial iu
qury and authoritative judgment rs tribunal broad
ad pronounce. and the Congress o the Unei 1iaies IL
manifesrly such tribunal The International Polar
direct order of the President ot the In cd states,
pursuant 70 the authority vested 10 nm ny Al ACT e'
C,ugfe,s. IT. progress ana achievements have com
maudcd the attention and challenged to hiulia ION "I
foicgn go mirIcs and reelected new usrr upon our
own The magnitude Of thoss achievements has only
bcen paralieeI 10y the disaster In wm,h 1t terminated
1hat -uc dis ster could nave oeen avrred aud That II
WINS IA no n poet 'uc to the commander 0 the eAle-
tlon can bo established by mlnDab.c cyioence. iho
cadsos hat co-olcrued 10 piodhoe tlAgc"y th't hs
appilcd the civilized world anr the responsibility
iof sucll dire rc,u.t. can be- traced with certainly
rms expedition Will stand among the Tore ho't OF
IL, kind. Ii catiod its work ulthrr norm than any
otter. 1t gained detailed gcogia 'nca knowirdso Of
greater bre dti In tiht REGION th"h any o'ner. ~
brought back more complete data upon lhl s'a Prop-
lens man any ot1tr dHrscu ,nS y m tns na. n,'
tcry wny all the services II sent 10 do III tue esfct
mannrr It arranged. having made clear a'id-
tion to the sum Of human tn"wlrdge nnd e'nIn|i 70
the place Of rendezvous intact aud perfect ANA u -
plnprr that The fault Ol failure ucfwaId bo lu,Y
Understood. Both Lieutenant Greedy. ~ tho hrrlc
nnd tnc snnl bureau IN Mh,hiugOn carried 1u lh"r
nt succo siniy IN cyrry PARTICULAR THIS plan sor'ncd
Ia be- good onr, nnd Lieutenant uioep '1,''in" "
after rcnrhlng hH station and sobihs what ho ""n'ou'
and II proscd to be good
GARLINGToy BLAMED.
.Thc a,uting Of the Proeus, which terminated this
succrss which TO that tinio complete ani fnutes"
was an accident for which there may or may not nave
been blame. But means to snbstantally restore tho
o.ses 40 Incurred had been provided aud were ut hnnd
mo pro,er. IVA. the beat ship with the captain
for the purpose be had both being tue same employed
Inv icicnint trerly l-Sl and She wa' very perfectly
sur piled and wei equipped she WIS s,n' ~ inc ekict
srsnn then believed to be the host Tor tho fullest
ctunrcs OF sicress. Hnd slo accustomed to Aicc
navigation ui when she sank the inll responsibility
tnr vhnt followed rested with those on the spot ana
n becomcs necessary In tue fuller lights tn iii cuss IT,
thnt ccIslre may not be displaced. Besides Tue nuy
thnt noces~arlr reppsed IN the commander present
Lieutenant Garlingnn's orders read snip of the
United state. Navy. the Nantc. Will accompany
,o ~ far n, Itilcon Island, rendering such al a.
ny become necessary and IA may he determined by tho
captain of that snip and Yourself Wneu on TIE sppt
rms NIL any commander 80 situated, WDued WIN
| "A ius, appreciation Of his duties. cOnld wish
Iicutcnnn Darlington falcd. when M cane Sabine,
Iuy - replace the spoiled parts M the cache n fooh
preyon.N left ~ Cape Sabine, rs lac WAS ordered IN s
in.trn,finns 10 do. Lieutenant GtrelN says OF tlni
I'm letter written hy him Tor the thcf signal Oicer: