Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-18
A SECOND FAILURE.
The Relief Ship "Proteus" Nipped an,
Sunk in smiths Sound.

The Keller ship "Proteus" Nipped and
Sunk in smiths Sound.
Lieut.. E. A. Darlington, of the Seventh
cavalry, was selected by the government to
command the second party to go to the relief
of the Greely expedition. On June % last he
sailed from st. John, n. F., on the steamship
Proteus, the same vessel that carried Greely
and aand M ms men men to Lady Franklin Bay. The
United States Steamship Yantic accompanied
the PrOteus as a supply ship and base. God
havn harbor was entered on July Z, coal
DuukoIs wUro nflOvl. stOrco for tie Gree1y party
were taken on board, preparations were made
to form depots, and everything was got in or
der for the voyage. The Yantic arrived on
July p.
On July J6 the Proteus sailed. leaving the
Yantic in port. For two days the strong ship
forced her way to the north through thick
ice foe, on which were many pools of brack-
ish water. On the third day the Proteus was
stopped by an impenetrable ice pack; backing
her astern, the ship was m0Ored to the foe. a
lead to the west was, however. discovered,
and on the 21st Southeast Carey Island was
reached, the cache of the Mares expedition
heing plainly in sight on the southwest end of
the island.
Pushing on, Littleton Island was passed,
the coal pile being plainly visible and appar-
emily undisturbed. With the strongest tele-
scope on board no ice was visible to the north
ward from the crows nest. Payer HarbOr
was entered the same afternoon and the cache
of the expedition of the previous year was
examined.
On the afternoon of July % the ship was
brought to a standstill. lying due east and
west. The ice in front and along the track she
was following began to show signs of enor-
nous pressure. A nip was imminent. The
Neptune had been beset in nearly the same
position the previous year; but had withstoOd
the strain. rising three feet, getting through
without damage. The pressure against the
sides of the PrOteus increased, the heavy ice
(frOm TO feet thlck) broke and RATED up
on the foe amidships and astern. But
still there were no signs of giving way.
Meanwhile Lieut.. Garlington's men were
getting the stores on deck in readiness for an
emergency. All at once there was a loud
crash. The ice had forced Its way through
the ships side into the starbOard coal bunker.
The deck planks began to rise and the seams
to open out. All the stores on deck and those
near at hand in the hold were now thrown on
to the ice and two boats were also lowered on
to the foe,
The ship now began to settle. The cry was
raised, ''She is sinkingH All hands left her, but
as she settled only a few inches there seemed
to be no immediate DANCE. Making a great
effort, the enlisted men, assisted by members
Of the crew OF the Proteus, got the port whale
boat clear. The instruments and records were
got on the foe. At I:l5 in the evening the
ship sank. Cape Sabine bearing n N W X
W., distant six miles. The efforts of the parfT
were then directed to saving the stores and
preparing for the retreat, which all hands.
making good.
LIEUT.. GREELY
was composed Of the Thetis. Bear and Alert
The Alert was present from the British
Government. The expedition was under eom-
mand Of Commander w. s. Schley who had
charge of the Thetis. Lieutenant Comnauder
Emery commanded the Bear, and the Alert
was commanded BY Capt. Conin.