The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-07-20
The Victims of Arctic Folly.


.v,.., ..,. r.,,
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Even to the Signal ONCE Itself 1t must at
last be apparent that tho first and funda-
mental blunder OF tho Inflated GREELY ex-
petition was made In establishing station
on Lady Franklin Bay.
When the International Polar Conference
engaged nearly all the northern maritime
nations OF Europe and the United States OF
America to join In planting series OF posts
OF observation In the Arctic regions, most
foolhardy ambition led the authorities ct
Washington to attempt foothold far In ad-
vance OF the others. The position assigned
to Lieut.. GRIZZLY was not only several
hundred miles further north than the other
stations selected. but was nearly up to
the furthest approach ever made to the pole.
But the special folly consisted In placing
him on Lady Franklin Bay, which can only
be approached by q comparatively narrow
waterway, frequently made impossible all
tho year around, and sometimes rendered so
for several years In succession, by being OBJ
structed with plled-up ice One other sta
tion alone In the entire International chain
attempted SO high latitude, and this was
ON Spitzbergen, where the conditions both
Tor rescue ana RETREAT were TOTALLY dlnerent
from those OF Smith Sound.
by what was considered at the time
piece OF marvellous good luck, but mas since
proved one OF the greatest disasters that
could have beiallen him, GREEDY, three
years ago, reached this perilous station
almost through open water. But since that
season OF 1881 the path has been, 80 FAR as
we know. blocked with Ice jams, both winter
and summer. The Neptune tried to get
through to Ills relief In 1852, ana failed
Inc Proteus repeated the attempt In lsoS.
and was sunk. And the Official report OF the
Ihetis, which rescued the lew survivors OF
the hapless party. indicates that during the
present summer 1t might have been equally
Impossible to force vessel through to the
station which GREEDY had abandoned.
But while this special feature OF folly must
always DO kept In mind as the initial step In
tho dREELY disaster. this calamity really
adds only one more to the series OF recent
tragedies which show In It's true Light the
frenzy for Arctic exploration. surely we
have had enough OF this mania, at least while
1t depends on such appliances as are now
available.
Not to 60 back to HALLS expedition. but
beginning only with the Jeanette, we find
this vessel, after being htted out and manned
Dy the government OF much expense, lost In
the Arctic seas, and the greater part OF her
company perishing' after horrible suferings,
on the coast OF Siberia. We find the Rodgers.
bought Tor 100000 and fitted out also at
large expense to rescue DE LONG, herself total
~ destroyed by fire, and ono OF her most gal
liant officers, Young PUTNAM IN addition, lost
by being carried away on floating Ice. Other
expeditions, those OF the Corwin and the Al
lance, added to tho anxiety and the cost OF
the search for the Jeanette but at least
were not themselves disastrous We next find
the Neptune chartered and sent out to res
cue Lieut.. GREELY, but utterly falling to do
30; then the Proteus renewing the attempt,