National Republican., 1884-01-18
THE gREELY RELIEF.
Message OF the President TO Congress Rec
ommending such Measure.


on,mendinR such n Measure.
The President transmitted to congress yes
aerday communication from the secretary
of war and the secretary Of the navy setting
forth the necessity for another expedition TO
Smiths sound for the relief of the signal
service party under Lieut.. Greedy, and spe-
cial message recommending that an appro-
priation for that purpose be at once made.
Secretaries Lincoln and Chandler, in their
letter to the President, say 1.-THE board of
officers of the army and navy convened by
the President Dec. II, 1883. TO consider
q Greedy relief expedition Is Of the
opinion that tho control Of the ex-
pedition should be committed to the
navy department., and that it is indispensable
that it should be on the ground at the ear.
lest possible time. There is no record of a
vessel having passed Cape York, the northern
most point Of Melville bay before the first Of
june and therefore the expedition should
arrive at Upernavik, the most northern Dan
ish settlement in Greenland, not later than
May 20, and should be fitted and in complete
readiness to leave New York not later than
May 1. The board recommends the inn
mediate purchase Of two full powered steam
whaers, or steam sealers, of from 500 to 600
tons displacement, and that these vessels
should be thoroughly equipped with boats
and sleds. We have the honor to commune
Chbb lHtbb 10 you, WlLU our
concurrence in them, and have further to ex-
press the opinion that it may also be deemed
wise to dispatch smaller and less completely
equipped vessel as an advance ship, which
may be able to take greater risks in early
spring navigation than would be considered
lustiiable in the case Of the two steam sealers,
upon which the ultimate success of the expo
dition may depend.
We recommend that congress bo requested
to authorize the President TO prepare and dis
patch an expedition to the coast of Green
land, Smiths sound, or Lady Franklins bay,
for the purpose Of relieving and bringing
home Lieut.. A. W. Greedy and party, and that
an appropriation be made for manning, equip
ping, and supplying the necessary vessels.
In his message of transmittal the President
says: in the plans for the relief OF this
party, as arranged with Lieut. Grcely, IL was
contemplated that an effort would be made TO
communicate with him and furnish him any
needed assistance in 1882 and again in 1883
Subsequently legislation was enacted which
4 required the expedition of 1893 to bring the
bpsrty home 1t was part of the arrange
ment that If communication should not be
made with him on or before Sept. l, 1883, he
should with his party abandon his station at
Lady Franklin bay not later than the above
mentioned date, and proceed southwark, and
he would find we'll supplied relief station
at the entrance to Smiths sound, a point
where II would not be difficult to reach him
during part of each year. The expeditions Of
'92 and 's3 were sent, but neither one of
them was able to communicate with Lieut..
Greely, and tho last one failed to accomplish
any part of Its object beyond leaving very
small quantity of stores in the neighborhood
Of the entrance of Smiths sound. The situa-
tion of Lieut.. Greedy and his party under
these circumstances is one of great peril, and
in presenting the preliminary views of the
board appointed by me to take into consider
al.... h.
recommend prompt action by congress to en-
able the recommendations of the secretary of
war and the secretary of the navy to be
carried out without delay"