The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-30
Relief for Lieutenant Greely.

The programme OF the Greedy relief exped-
tion, though involving the combined move
ments Of three vessels is not complicated, and
its projectors have had an ample warning Of
the vital need Of effective cooperation In the
wretched fate of last years mismansged at
tempt. The Bear, on arriving from New York
at st. Johns, will there take on coal and dogs
and push at once to Disco, and thence to Uper-
navik. The Thetis, leaving New York about a
week after the Bear, is to take the same route,
coaling and procuring dogs at st. Johns, and
will join the Bear at Upernavik, in Greenland,
about May 25. The Alert, following the Thetis
after the lapse of a week, is expected to arrive
at Upernavik on or before June l. The Thetis
conveys a collier from St Johns for the use Of
all three vessels. From Upernavik the Thetis
and Bear will again go forward in advance,
their movements being directed by Commander
Schley, who has charge OF the expedition, ac-
coiding to the information he may obtain about
Greedy, or the apparent needs OF the time.
These vessels are not necessarily to wait for
the arrival Of their consort at the Uper-
navik rendezvous; indeed, provision in Com
mander Schley's plan for retaining the COL
lier at Upernavik, In case the ice Is very
formidable during the last week in May, until
the Alert can arrive and convoy her TO Lit
tleton Island, indicates that the two advance
vessels will certainly push on at once from
Upernavik by way Of Cape York and Littleton
Island. To this island, meanwhile, the Alert
will proceed in her own time, yet so as to arrive
there or at Foulk Flord by July l, landing and
building a house, stocked with full supplies, as
station of retreat for the advance parties, and
thence sending coast sledge party to explore
northward on the easterly shore Of Smith
Sound. viii this expedition be successful !?
Recent experience in the Arctic regions warns
against positive prophesies, but 1t may at least
be safely said that there Is very great probable
ity that Commander Schley will either rescue
Greedy or learn the particulars Of his fate, il
already beyond relief. We must remember that
vessels have more than once passed, during
the last twenty years, through Smith Sound
and Kennedy Channel. Greedy himself, three
years ago, had almost open water as far as
Cape Constitution, which Is more than half the
distance from Littleton Island to Lady Franklin
Bay II Is true that no one would have pre-
dicted that the Neptune would have found the
same path absolutely blocked in 1882, and the
Proteus again In 1888; but while a third success
sive year OF such experience Is clearly possible,
the probabilities are obviously against It..
Again, Greedy himself may have already come
as far south, either by an overland march or by
the use of boats, as Littleton Island, or even
the Danish settlements on the Greenland shore.
1t was in his proposed programme to do exactly
this, should he fail to be reached In 1888, and
he had the appliances for doing it, and for
maintaining himself In a region abounding
with game Under these circumstances, with
so well equipped an expedition, and with the
whalers stimulated to aid In the search by
the hope OF large pecuniary reward, we have
strong reason for hope that the quest will not
be fruitless -Neto York Sun.