The Portland daily press., 1884-10-23
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
Gen. Hazen's Annual Report to the
Secretary of War.
ME ASKS AN IMPARTIAL INQUIRY
INTO TIE GREELY EXPEDITION.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-General Hazen chief
signal officer in his annual report to the Secretary
of War. says that the of instruction pursued
at Fort Meyer has been enlarged and otherwise i'm
proved. During the year five officers completed
the course of instruction in meteorology at Fort
Meyer and SO enlisted men were instructed in sig,
mailing, telegraphy elementary meteorology and
duties as soldiers. In addition two officers have
completed the course of instruction at the signal
offiee in the preparation of weather predictions.
An attempt has been made during the last three
years to secure the enlistment of young college
graduates and met with success. OF 251 enlist
ments made during that time So were college
graduates.
The increased demand for special predictions in
the interests OF agriculture special trades and
meree Indicate In measure, the report says, the
value and Importance of the indications and the dI
vision of signals, and adds that further improve
ment could be made by an increase of station ca
pacity in the West and Northwest The report
says that no general storm has passed over this
country during the year without warning.
In relation to the Arctic expeditions Gen Hazen
says referring to the de arturo of the Yantic after
the loss Of the Proteus from Littleton Island to St.
Johns without leaving provisions that this abandon
ment of Lieut. Greedy and his party TO probable
starvation by the officers whose only mission in
those waters was to succor them displayed
lamentable disregard of grave responsibilities. He
holds that If Lieut.. Darlington had insisted upon
leaving rations from the Yantic If another relief
vessel had been sent from st. Johns, he says he
himself urged, the loss of life and disaster would
have been averted.
Gen. Hazen says that Lieut.. Greely carried out
literally ana Jn0 signal bureau
ried out the prearranged plan. He continues after
referring to Lieut. Greey's retreat to Cape Sabine
and to the success of the relief expedition under
Commander Schley follows:
Up to the return of the expedition this year had
hoped that there would be no occasion for raising
question of blame at this any future time, but
new light has been cast upon the subject and with
it my duty becomes plain and truth of history and
justice to all calls for such impartial INQUIRY and
auth ritative judgment as a tribunal broad enough
to embrace the whole question shall in nsttute an(
pronounce, and the Congress OF the United States is
manifestly such tribunal. / therefore trust that
this whole matter of the Lady Franklin Bay ex-
pedltlon and the expedition organized for relief
will be deemed worthy of a thorough investigation
by Congress-
Gen. Hazen regards the Greely expedition as
among the foremost of its kind and insists that
both Lieut.. Greely and the Arctic Signal Bureau
in Washington carried cut their parts of the pre-
arranged plan OF rescue literally and successfully in
every particular" He refers to the failure of
Lieut. harrington to replace the spoiled provisions
at Cape Sabine, and quotes from a letter from
Lieut.. Greedy to him, dated April 80, supposing
himself at the point of DEATH as follows: had
Lieut.. Darlington carried out your orders and re-
placed the "a raions of ium and 100 of alcohol
on the English cache here, and the 210 pounds of
mouldy English bread, spoiled English chocolate
and potatoes, melted sugar and the 2l0 pounds of
rotten dog biscuit, would without doubt be
saved"
General Hszen says that Darlington should have
lett twothirds OF the torres rescued from thelPro
teus at Cape Sabine.
In concluding his report the chief signal officer
recommends that the following officers be added to
the signal corps with the rank and pay of cavalry
officers: One colonel, lieutenant colonel, one
major and disbursing officer, eight captains, and
the appointment of second leutenants to first lieu
tenants after eight years and to captain after four
teen years service. He also recommends that the
100 sergeants of the corps be composed of three
classes-26 with the pay of $50 per month, so
with the pay of $40. and 75 with the pay of S34.
and that ali sergeants corporals and privates of
the first class of the corps be known as "Observ-
ers of the signal service.