Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-04
HoNoRS ToLIEUT. GREEDY.
WARY xMxPrroN IN MONTREAL,
~ asS Lse~sessss Ray Before the srss'sh
Assscsassss- Dlse ssslns the cacsssos q m
USsn pssss Zee.

~ ass Lse~sen.ss Ray p<fere the Br'sss
Assscsassss- Dssessslss the oacssses q d
US<n pssss Zee.
The 7ystssws's Montreal special Of Tues
0sv ssys. After various notices had beer
rad Sir J. m. LEROY referred 70 the pre-
orucc Of tlye two American explorers AM
~ the Importance Of their work. ciosinl
nv introducing Lieutenant Ray. THIS ealie'
trrth another round cf hearty applause
md tlep Lieutenant Ray mel the eyes o
sNr sympathctic spectators. He spoke will
: strcog voice. IN a graceful and cilectiv
manner, and was frequently interrupted
with applause.
M describcd briefly the system OF c,rcum
polar stations. of which hrs own nj Poln
Barrow hsd been one, and rccounted hi
own experience and conclusions, remark
sng that The coast between BehIing Strai
and Point Barrow had been frequcntl,
visited by English crews. He described
his own exploration Of the region lying he
tween the Yukon and the Arctic SEA, whic'
had never before beer penetrated. w
wss compelled. after advancing go mile
tnlsnd, 10 and beyond Meade river. q
turn back. sfter discovering a low range o
mountains dividing the northeast watersbe,
ITtfn ltHl Ol h0lltUut hOuHUs ivy
he thought, was the RorthernmoSt spur o
the Rocky Mountains. lie described tn
copfguraiion Of the land, the traces Of rein
deer. aud ancient human habitation in VIVA
Is now an uninhabiicd desert. and the gen
eral character Of the northern watershed
The region WIS destitute Of timber. save ;
few Arctic willows there was coars'
salt grass with dense growth OF moss. az
fordiug pasture for few herds OF reindeer
AGAINST THE oFES POLAR SEA THEORY.
lie declared that be did not believe II
tho existence al an open Polar sea, since
the tcmperaiure Of the water was uuvary
inc from October 10 July, which would no
be the case II there was a large body O
open water Ground the pole. The aiinos
Iberic conditions ut Point Barrow wcr'
such ~ could not have existed " warn
open Polar sea had surrounded the pole
Ciouds were rarely seen. In winter Their
was no precipitation. except frozen mis-
drifting IN over the ocean from cracks
opened by gales aud tides. Lieutenant
Ray explained the phenomenon OF The
crowding down OF ancient ice each year,
and argued that II was positive proof that
there was no open Polar sea. He spoke
Of the aurora, observed as constant glow
from 4 in the afternoon TO IN the morn
ing. and closed by referring 10 the serious
disturbance OF the magnetic needle during
those displays. and to the importance OF
investigating magnetic phenomena at the
magnetic pole. He considered II grand
omission in the international Polar scheme
that there was no station established nj The
magnetic pole. lie considered 1t OF the
utmost importance that these phenomena
should he Investigated during period oi
two or three years. and volunteered 10
head a colony which should be organized
for the iurpOse. This final declaration
was heartily applauded.
THE OTHER SIDE.
The president remarked that the section
was favored with the presence OF great
traveller and sufferer. Lieutenant Greedy,
whose providentisl deliyerance from the
dreadful fate Of starvation had sent thrill
Of gratitude through the civilized world.
Those sufierings. he added. were sacred TO
the audience, and he could only express lis
sympathy. IL was an exploit Of the utmost
daring. since 10 Grcelv and Lockwood be.
long the crowning honor Of planting the
American fiag nearest the Pole. lie refer
red 10 the manner in which Greedy and his
men had carried in their retreat their ponder
Gus pendulum rs an unparalleled instance Of
sublime devotion 10 science. The Amcri-
can expedition had done much 10 promote
the extension Of human knowledge, and
was entitled To the gratitude Of the world.
With these generous phrases the president
Lieutenant Greely. who re-
eeived from the audience welcome that
must have gone far 10 compensate him for
all the oppTobrium which hideous scandal.
mongers IN his own country have beapcd
npon him. His face flushed with pleasure,
and when he spoke it WAS with Il modeSty
~ demsanor and manllness Of tone that
won every heart. He began with
brief reference 10 the international Polar
scheme, and with an unequiyocal express
lion Of dissent from his colleagues Opln-
lon respecting the open Polar sea. He be-
lieyed that there was such a sea, not naVi-
gable, but still open under favorable con-
diiions. He described the geographical
work Of his COLONY as covering nearly three
degrees Of latitude and over forty of lon
gitude. lie outlined Lieutenant Lock-
woods route and discoveries, which had
resulted IN adding to the charts coast line
of nearly one hundred miles beyond
The iurihest point seen by Beaumont.
VI the English navy. Greenland had
been carried forty miles nOribward and
Gen given greater extension in that di.
'ect!on than it has generally been credited
win. lie described the furthest point
cached by Lockwood, the conilguration
u the coast. the land prosir.cctS as seen
rom an elevation Of 1000 iect, the u. o'u
eyel expapses OF snow aud ice. and the
b.encc In the fiords Of any Ice fioebsrgs
r OF any otheI indications tending 10
rove their direct connection with the
p.tZbeIgen sea. The coast was high,
ugged, and precipi,ous, and the yegeta-
lon resembied that OF Grinnell Land.
TRACES OF ANIMAL LIFE HIGH UP.
lie spoke OF the abundant traces OF ami
nal life above the eighly-tbird parallel, and
Il the tidal crack extending from Cape
Bryant along the entire coast, running from
headland TO headland, and varying from
ono ward TO several hundred in width. ln-
side the crack hummocky ice was rarely
seen. and outside prevailed Commander
paleocristic Ice. lie referred
10 the great depth OF the Polar ocean;
rs sounded by Lockwood it was
over 500 feet. and apparently no cur
rent existed. He explained the extreme
care with which the latitude and longitude
Of the furthest point were asccrtained; he
testified 10 the extraordinary accuracy OF
Lieutenant Boaumon's maps. and stated
hat the only correction necessary was the
location OF Cape Britannia few miles far
her south. This was n quiet thrust at
Commander Markham's recent strictures
and sceptical declarations, and was enjoyed
even BY the Englishmen present.
JOURNEYS AND DISCOVERIES RRcoUSTED.
Lieutenant Greedy described his own and
Lieutenant LOCKWOOD journeys in the IN
terror Of Grinnell Land, and the physical
conditions which were revealed. The ice
cap between Archer aud Greedy tiords was
pictured. and detailed account was given
81 the discoveries made inland. and espe-
cially OF The ascent OF Mount Arthur, from
the crest Of which, $500 feet above the sea,
q grand prospect was obtained. Negeta-
ton In this region was luxurious n COM
pared with that Of Cape sabine. There
were valleys afiording excellent pasiurage
for musk cattle, which feed toward the
sea during the summer and gradually with
draw inland as winter advances. Raised
beaches, marine shells, and driftwood gave
evidence In the interior Of recent elevation
above the sea. At one place the trunks OF
eonterous trees were found; many small
glacial lskes were surveyed, and the con-
hguration Of Ice caps and glaciers was care
fully observed. Many native relies and the
remains u permanent Eskimo huts were
found ca tue shores OF Lake Hazeu.
The reindeer. which must once have been
plentiful, have either migrated or become
extinct. In closing his graphic account OF
the discoveries made by his party, Leu,en-
ant Greely asked indulgence for any i'm
peri, eiions In bis presentation OF the sub
lect, since strength had failed for their
elaboration. and be bad been forced TO de-
pend largely upon memory. as all records
and Journals OF the expedition We're in