New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE ARCTIC DISASTER.
SHADOW OF THE GREAT CALAMITY.
LETTER FROM THE SURGEON OF THE NEPTUNE RE-
LIEF EXPEDITION.

LIEF EXPEDITION.
To the EdftOr Of the TrfbuHe
Dir In the editorial columns of your issue
OF July q appears article entitled Wisdom After
the Event Pardon me II think your statements are
erroneous. know that THE TRInfNE values truth and
Justice above all things will not believe that any
reason than forgetfuness caused the letter of
MI Lindon Kent In s issue 2d and things
must he my apology FOR asking space your valued
columns FOR the following statements:
In your Issue Of April >. 1sS3 appeared letter over
my signature IN which argued that the experience Of
TIE Neptune IN @S2 would be repeated as far the
hlorAAG' was concerned in 1888 demonstrated the
mpracticaby Of slcge Journey during the fall OF the
year between Discovery Harbor and Life Boat Cove.
strongly recommended that the relief shin. after
hahlhS uucput ~ LtteOn Island should proceed tho
north A. possible consistent safety along the coast
OF hueH Land. and that after having occurred her I'm
w. '.'I', iH come or the available barbors on that
coast tr men Doe set To 20 establish stations 40 mo-
Very era distance from the ship from
-, tti i,-nl '' used ~ bases or supply ana Tor
refuge b"th Tor the rc'cucrs and tbe Greedy
VIZ Intercepted securing 10y these stations possible
necessary retreat the relief party" And added that
- failure or the expedition ~ 1-S3 ~ reach them dhc
nr"F coonyl or 10 least 10 land supple, aud boats at
f,,I t ana ~ ','iu Tue Ncptuu, nan dou'. hl'i De
l9u"MU' ny an untold amount of suffering with pcnury
Oh provision ana clothing n not indeed. by loss Of Life"
"Fo'e TINS letter Tor The reason that General HaIen
had requested make of thc pai Is Of the eXprd-
ton OF l-@j and had most courtrou-ly invited
any suggestions that might consider would be bcne-
fetal io that expeditions took occ1suu 10 recommend
Ia nm at that time that the expedition b" COMPOSED of
9oamen and not soldiers the enlisted men, who were
sent up That year under INV command were. almost
without exception q'Itc useless utterly unfamiliar
with salt water ami The handling BOATS that they
lonsrd io th" sitting down party" I maY say that
General llllrn was at first ravorahly Inclined toward my
suggestions but aftcrwnd allowed himself Dee 4ylycd
hy Lieutenant Caltrc. who argued that ~ the Army
had undertaken the work soldiers and not 4camcn
4npuId hn 4pu Nv hpd nv IT,-
Merriam foil lwed me- in letter that you printed May
D, l~~J, endorsing my plan, hut re- commencing two
ships 800 place of one. lie pictured IN the strongest
color, That words could portray the utter mpos-iDuily
OF Grrciy. reaching life Boat Cove Last fall Hc as
we'll l4 had had some considerable experience among
Arctic icr In your comments upon Dr. Merriam, letter
YOU said We ara .tu inclined to believe that. like
DR. Holdlot. hc G'r MrrriamI cNarg rates the peril.
aud difficulties Of the ,icigo Journey from Lady Franklin
sound to life Boat Cove sud you refer 10 Payer
example of what military officer can do Boo the way of
-irdens over au Arctic ice pack evidently forgetting
that Payer 900 hi, narrative of the rcsetthon Expedition.
Weld. to Lieutenant WcyprccAt Who wa. naval officer
aI the credit of the successful. retreat AMI that Dee,
Payer says, that after three months Of understandable
effort tncy had lyinccd ou eight miles from thc snip
I'm your issue oi May 10. l--3. quote from OF
mv letter, 20 you, Us follows.
DR. Holdcy writes. can readily understand how
IuE THInr ST. ,tIl ur.ur- % believe that cNa-gerate
the ucrI- and difficulties of the ,icd.r Journey from
Lady Franklin sound to Ilttl,tOu Island. and unduy
anxious, sincerely hope thc future viii demonstrate
fic corrrctur-, OF that belief will more will
ugy. n1wi'dt that BIS icIrs have been unnecessary
tIai WILL after they shall lm'c been proved TO have
etc.. etc.
Again in your issue OF AIrl i, 1885 YOU quot.
follows:
81 think" said surgeon Hoadlcy 10 a TRIBUNE re
porter that instead relying sic lge party To coll
ycy food and clothing from Luc-BOat cove 'wnele
Darlington viii establish his winter quarters to tine
Greedy party ou Che oppo-t" side OF the sound dnd to
convey n GAR north ~ viii bee necessary IN 0r1cr % TO
amy good there will Dee better chance of success by
working from ship taken Us mr. ~ possible mp the we,
smith sound; for that Us the side the party viii
come down on ne, h.'r only the steam lainch 1l tnr
boat they i0oh from Nd~hHS". lrNihS I7.h anu 10 Is
not far tO suppose they Will drag these all tine way 10
Cape sabine $50 miles proFdtd mere i, nor open wafer
10 hoai them ODD. Ih'f WIZ H'olDleul} aDahuon LIe
boats ODD tr expectation of finding others ~ points along
/ the coast which were designated mt which W. could
NOT reach Moss tn' SNIP can -fl 10 1Iic H'"Ar OF
above there th, year and leave BOAT Lieutenant Frrey
The party wor king rom ltteioh l-aAu VIII doubtless ma
70 impossible To- drag heir boats over the thrF niles or
more of rough cr u"s"r'n mem 1d ,hp" S'DIc sf'
referred in my communication 10 TIE tribune of
without q boat how is 10 TO be doncT
ON March a. l.s3 Lieutenant Darlington sent 10 me
% most courteous letter asking mo 70 accompany him
Nor'u n the ear acity O medica. officer 40 thc same time
conveying 10 very handsome compliment from Cen
cr UIzrn I respectfully Int firmly declined the posi-
tu br rendered me for the reason ronyer,-
,r. 5.frh several T. five Arctic eNT IOrcr-. three
,, had hrr attached 10 expedition, to smith sound
and Tine WAGER, beyond. and after gathering all the n
could obtain from ptru.dl of tnr pub
ib"J record. some hfty or sixty volumes of which
own. Of previous expeditions to that shme locality.
have come the conclusion, that th" plan ilH U N pro-
,cI ~ ,dopt f,r tine relief ana rescue NJ the Greedy
nv H. rof fir host ulan that might De- devised. that
f material of which tine RELIEF party to Dee composed
is moi thr best available and thar Che safeguards ur.c--
, f i, protection of the rcsccrs not altogether
of the kind ample ~ they should Dee. lfrom nl
reply To Lieutenant Darlington. letter OF March 81.
I--3I u Is Just possible that Lieutenant Darlington
NAV have shown my letter 20 thc enter sigma. ONCE
n Tu TRIBUNE mad taken ile tuior Io Ieiu rl en- ON"
Wort, ON the Exploration of smith sound. ~. DR.