McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-08-14
THAT ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
A Speech by Secretary Chandler, Explaining
the Situation Before Rescue Of the
Explorers.

In the welcome given to the surviv-
ors of the Greedy expedition at Ports
mouth last week, Secretary Chandler
made an address as follows, explaining
details in connection with the late ex-
plorations not generally known and
understood. He said:
'.In Augutt, 1881, a United States
signal station for arctic observation
and exploration was established at
Lady Franklin bay, in ,Grinnell land,
by a party carried and left there by the
steam sealer Proteus. The party was
composed of Lieut.. A. w. Greedy, OF
the 9Th United States cavalry; Lieut..
Frederick f. Kislingbury, of the 18th
infantry; Lieut.. James B. Lockwood,
of the 23d infantry; Acting Assistant
Surgeon Octave Pavy, and % non-com-
missioned officers and privates of the
command, including two Esquimaux.
1t was promised by the government
that vessel should visit the station
during the summer of 1882, and that,
if she should fail to reach it, relief
ship should again be sent in 1883. The
instructions of the chief signal officer,
dated June II, 1881, directed Lieut..
Greedy, if not visited in 1882, to 'aban-
don his station not later than Sept. L,
1885, and to retreat southwark by
boat, following closely the east coast of
Grinnell land, until the relieving vessel
is met or Littleton Island is reached. )
A letter from Lieut.. Greedy, written
August II, 1881, and brought by the
Proteus from Lady Franklin bay, spe-
CITED the depots of supplies which he
wished the relief ships to attempt to
make, and stated that the relief party
of 1883 should then proceed to estab-
lish winter station at the Polaris'
winter quarters, Life Boat Cove; Little
ton island, where their main duty
would be to keep their telescopes on
Cape Sabine and the land to the north
ward
Between July 1st and September 2,
1882, the steamer Neptune, under VIM.
M. Beebe, jr., of the signal service,
proceeded into Smiths sound, but the
ice failed to sufficiently open iuto Ken
nedy channel, and the vessel returned,
having left few provisions at Cape
Sabine and Littleton island. In 1883
the Proteus was again employed by
the chief signal officer for the voyage
toLady Franklin bay, and placed in
charge of Lieutenant Darlington, of
the Seventh United States cavalry, and
the steamer Yantic, of the United
States navy, commanded by Comman-
der Frank Wildes, was detailed as a
tender to accompany the Proteus as
far as Littleton Island. Lieutenant
Darlington was informed by letter of
the chief signal officer of June "a, 1883.
of the extreme peril of Lieutenant
Greedy and his party. He was en-
joined to spare no effort to push his
vessel through Lady Franklin bay, and
was also instructed as follows: eff it
should become clearly apparent that
the vessel cannot be pushed through,
you will retreat from your advanced
position and land your party and
stores at or near Life Boat cove Gilt
tleton island), discharge the relief
vessel with orders to return to ST.
Johns, Newfoundland, and prepare for
remaining with your party until re-
lieved next year" Lieutenant Gar
Iington was further instructed, as soon
as possible from this station at Little
with Lieutenant Greedy by sledge par
ties, the men not so employed to lose
no time in preparing house for the
whole party, and in securing the stores
preparatory to the arrival of Lieuten-
ant Greedy. The Proteus and Yantic
were together at st. Johns on June 81,
and an agreement was made between
Lieutenant Darlington and Comman-
der Wildes contemplating their separa-
ton until August %, but that the Yam
tic should 90 to Littleton Island,
which should be the headquarters, and
not leave there before that day.
1.-The Proteus preceded the Yantic to
Disco Island, but the Yantic rejoined
her, and they were together there from
July II to July 10, at which latter date
the Proteus once more left her tender,
which, after waiting until the Goth,
again sailed northward. Instead of
proceeding directly in the track of the
Proteus, however, she diverged to Uper-
navik, was detained there by fog from
July 81 to 81, when she sailed, and was
easily able to reach Littleton Island
Aug. 8. She there found, from records
left, that the Proteus, on July %, had
been crushed in the ice and had sunk
just north of Cape Sabine, that Lieut.
Darlington and his whole party had
crossed to Littleton Island, and on July
% had gone sonth along the Greenland
coast in open boats. The Yantic
thereupon turned southwark, search
ing the coast to Cape York, and, find
ing no traces of the Proteus people,
went on to Upernavik, reaching there
August r. She left this place August
% and reached Disco Island August 20,
where she was overtaken August 81 by
Lieut.. j. G. Colwell of the United States
navy, who had left at Cape York, the
Proteus party to which he had been
attached, and had reached Upernavik