New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-18
RnME MILD ARCrIO POfNTS

SDWE MILD hhtIlC fUfNios
yulturea have n strong scent for cnrrion anu
bleaching bones. Some OF the newspapers,
which have been circling during tho past week
over the encampnent ut Cape Sabine md
svooping down upon Tho survivors and victims
of the Grecly colony, hnvc boon haunted with
tho Huspcion that similar opportunity TOR
turning the stomachs Of their readers was not
imptoyrd year ago, Some of them have gone
M far M ~ inainuae that there were evidences
of ennnihtliam among tho victims OF The jean
netle expedition, but that tho Facts were Htp1
ptesaed. Not satisfied with having brought dia'
credit not only upon all tho membelH OF tho
Greedy colony living or dead, but also upon the
American name, by their repuslye recltals these
iaekals are now pTowling in Imagination over
fine barren reaches of the Lena delta IN search
of half-caten aud muiilated bodies. Ii Is with
the hope of heading OFF the pack and of restrict
ing its derredations to Cape Sabine and some OF
the ncw-made graves in our own ATTITUDES, that
we announce that there is not the slightest
orodnd for the suspicion that there were any
traces of cannbasm in De Longs camp.
Chief Engineer Melville is the highest authority
in this matter, and he has stated without reserve
and most emphatically that not one OF the
bodies found by him in the delta had been
touched by starving survivors
The suggestion has been made by various
journals that the Alert ought now to be re.
turned to the British Government. This would
be breach of good manners between Nations
While the Alert was presented by the Queen
and the British Admiralty to this Government
for use in the Greedy relief expedition, this
generous act involved a recognition of preyl-
Gus courtesy on the part Of the United States
! In September, 1859 the captain of a Connectl-
cut whaler, while drifting in the ice of Batiins
Bay espied ship twenty miles away. For
week the two vessels approached each other,
and finally the stranger was boarded. 1t was
the famous Resoutc, one of the fleet sent in
search of the Franklin expedition, and aban-
doned two years before hundreds OF miles away
in Lancaster Sound The motto could still be
read over the helm, England expects every
man to do his duty" but there was not a soul
on board. The abandoned ship was carried
into an American port, where she was subse-
ouently purchased and reftted by order of Con-
grcss In the autumn of 1886 the vessel was
manned with an American crew, taken to Eng
land and formally presented to Queen Victoria.
If the British Government had subsequently re-
turned the ship Americans would have resented
the act as an impcrtmcncc. The Alert was
given to the United States as a return in kind
for the favor extended in the case of the Rcso-
Lutte and also in recognition of the good feeling
shown by Americans in taking part i'll the
search for Sir John Franklin. To send back
the Alert would be to resent a very graceful
courtesy on the part of the Queen and the Adj
mrllty.
4 singular story has been brought from the
southern edge of Greenland by Philadelphia
skipper. He reports on the authority OF the
Danish officials the discovery by EsquiinauX of
motley assortment of Jeanette relics, lnclud-
ing tent. cask one of DE Longs checll-DO0k
and pair of oiled trousers belonging to Seaman
Noros. while the EsquimauX have never been
credited with being practical joIicrs, they are
known to be inycterate liars, and accordingly
this tale is tainted with suspicion. If it be
officially confirmed, it will be necessary to re-
east the present impressions of gcOgraphers con-
corning the Arctic currents and To explain the
transit of these relies from the JcanncttcS track
To Cape Farewell via the North Pole. The pub
lie will be content to wait until Noros can idcn-
tfy the oiled trousers ~ his own and compute
by dead reckoning the latitude and longitude of
the spot where he last hung them QUITO dry. be-
fore deciding that water route TO the North
Pole has been discovered.