National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-19
THEIR REASONS.

Letter or Secretaries Lincoln ana Cband-
Ter Against Rewards in the Greedy
Search,
Tho President has transmitted to the
speaker Of the house q letter from Secretaries
Lincoln and Chandler, opposing tho PROPOSE
ton to offer reward for tho discovery and
relief of Lieut.. Greely's party by private
cnterpric. They say
All masters Of vessels or whalers frequent
ing the waters Of Greenland, and the officials
and residents of its settlements, will.be urged
to keep on tho watch for traces Of the OK
plorcrs in view of the possibility that they
may have como to Iittoton island or further
south in boats, or along the shsrc, or on tho
liked or floating ice. Assurances will be
given that all expenses will be paid which
may be incurred in thus rcscuing tho party
or any member of IL, and that the government
will also suitably recognize the services of
those who are so enterprslng or so fortunate
as to accomplish the desired object.
But, say the secretaries, the terms of the
resolution of congress authorizing the fitting
out Of Il relief expedition do not authorize
the offer of large rewards TO those who may
make independent efforts to save the Greedy
party As to asking congress to specifically
authorize such largo rewards, the letter says
three vessels, the Bear, Alert, aud Thetis, are
now being fitted up specially to mako the
search This field is not n wide or indefinite
ono. II is not probable that private search
can accomplish what the government cannot
reach.
The real danger to vessels will arise when,
in tho absence of any Trace of the parry below
or near the entrance to Smith sound, il may
become necessary to enter the ice beyond that
point. The practical question therefore is,
Shall the masters Of private ships bo tempted
by tho Oiler of large sums to crowd them into
the ice of Smith sound in advance of the gov
eminent vessels"
Tho date fixed for the relief expedition thus
to enter tho ice is the earliest at which il will
| be possible for thorOughly-prepared ships to
| make the advance without great risk of dis
aster At this date they will be ON the spot
and ready to push forward Any attempt of
an inadcquatcly- prepared private vessel to 20
before them will therefore be only inviting
destruction.
1t would not be wise TO induce private
vessels to attempt to preCede the relief expo
dition in entering Smith sound 1t cannot
be of advantage to stimulate them to risk
themselves in those dangerous waters by en-
| tering at the same time with or after the
tho government ships. The number of these
vessels designated for the enterprise was
deemed sufficient. Ifany benefit could have
been derived by increasing it, such increase
would have been recommended, and the adj
ditional vessels rs well rs the three now pro-
vided, would have been specially strength
cned and prepared for the work, with their
crews also reduced to minimum and care
fully fitted for every exposure. The private
vessels are not SO prepared; they are not
strengthened against ice pressure on the
sides, and they will not have sufficient pro-
visions or clothing or any special outfit to
be used in case of their destruction. 1t is
therefore not likely that they will be able to
accomplish any result beyond what will be
reached by tho government ships.
1t must be remembered that the govern
ment by inviting such cooperation will
assume certain responsibility toward those
whom it thus induces to enter on hazardous
enterprise, which, although voluntary, will
none the less have been undertaken at its in
stance.
For these reasons the secretaries are OPP
posed to offering large rewards to private
search.