National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-12

and solicited Chairman COX, OF tne nOuse |
naval committee, to havo the name OF
Lieut.. f. A. Darlington included in the
pendipg resolution to extend tho thanks
of Congress to Commander Schloy aud his
command for their brilliant and timely
. rescue of Lieut. Greedy and the othor
heroic survivors of tho international polar
expedition.
Gen. w. b. Hazen, chief signal officer
o Of tho army, has deemed it his duty to
prefer charges against Lieut.. Darlington
based largely on newly discovered evil
dence as to tho worry matter to which tho
proposed resolution of thanks relates, and
he has also appealed to congress to inves-
tigate the whole subject with the view to
fix the responsibility for the disaster that
finally attended that expedition. As
Gen. Hazen's counsel, knowing that IL the
scheme which Con. Sturgis is pressing
with almost patornal solicitude, should
be contaminated, tho effect as designed
would be to forstall the trial of Lieut..
Darlington by court martial and prevent
due Investigation, beg leave to present
certain incontestablo facts, which con-
clusively prove that to extend tho thanks
of congress to Lieut.. Darlington, as pro-
posed, would DO to falsify the truth Of
history.
The plan for the relief Of Greedy and
by his Arctic party in 1883 was formulated
that now Justly renowned officer in 1881,
after his arrival at Lady franklin bay.
Lieut.. Ernest A. Darlington, 9Th cavalry,
protesting to havo studied thoroughly tho
history ofArctic explorations, volunteered
TO execute IL, and having boon assigned
to the command of the relief expedition
by tho secretary of war, he was ordered
' by Gen. Hazen to follow Lieut.. Greely's
instructions closely"
The plan of Lieut.. Greedy was supple
mented by Gen. HaLon on the line of ad-
ditional safety by having q vessel OF tho
United States navy detailed rs part Of
the oxpeditionary force. The United
States ship Yantic under tho command
of Commander Frank Wildes, was as
signed TO that duty as tho reserve ship Of
the expedition. Lieut.. Darlington and
his party sailed in the steam sealer
Proteus, commanded by Capt. Richard II.
Pike, the foremost sealing captain of
Newfoundland, who in the same vessel
had transported Greedy and his mon to
Lady Franklin Bay, and was highly COM
mended by Lieut.. Greeley for skill and
fidelity.
Commander Wildes was ordered by tho
navy department to accompany the Pro-
teus "as far north as practicable" in
view of her probable destruction, that he
might afford succor to hor officers and
crew in the event of such disaster. His
orders required him to proceed to Little
ton Island but in no event to go north
of that point.
Lieut., John O. Colwell, an officer Of the
Yantic, joined the command of CARING
ton as volunteer at st. Johns under
permission granted by the secretary of
the navy, but was without any authority
to direct the expedition. Lieut.. CARING
ton was informed in his orders that the
Yantic would accompany him as far as
Littleton Island, and he was instructed
to arrange with her commander on their
arrival at that place proper plan of CO.
operation between tho two ships.
The expedition sailed from st. Johns,
N. F., June 20, and on the same day tho
two vessels voluntarily separated, put-
suant to an agreement entered into be-
tween Darlington and Wildes. In that
agreement 1t was stipulated that the
Proteus should proceed north alone, and
that the Yantic should arrive at Little
ton island not later than Aug. 90 or fifty
five days from the date of their separa-
tion.
The two vessels were again reunited at
Godhaven on July 10, and there finally
separated July 16, tho Yantic remaining
to repair boilers and take on an addi-
tional supply of coal. Lieut.. Darlington
not deeming it advisable to delay his own
advance proceeded northward with tho
Proteus alone. Seven days later the Pro-
teus being ut Payer harbor, Lieut.. Gar
lington returned on board hurriedly from
the shore where no had landed and in
formed Capt Pike that he had discovered
from the highlands an opon lead of water
through tho ice pack of Smith sound, and
that no desired the Proteus to proceed
north. As neither Capt. Pike nor tho
man in the crows-nest could discern such
lead, Capt. Pike told Darlington that the
wafer he saw twas no good" and that they
were there too early" to enter tho ice
pack, and that he wanted to wait also to
All his coal bunkers. In shat
crisis of the fato of the expedition,
Lieut.. Colwell, an export sailor,
who illustrated in every emergency
the loftiest qualities Of the American
naval officer, was not consulted by Lieut..
Darlington. The master ice-navigator
yielded to the lieutenant of cavalry on
the question OF navigating ice. The Pro-
tous entered the pack, as demanded by
Darlington, and after a desperate effort
to extricate her she was crushed and
sunk with nearly all her stores on the
following day, July 20. When the Pro-
teous was sunk the Yantic, that was to
be tho reserve ship lin tho event of such
disaster" instead of being in the vicin-
ity, at Littleton Island, her designated
station, was more than a thousand miles
away, pursuant to the agreement between
Comdr. Wildes and Darlington.
THOR untimely separation is explained
by darlington, as in accordance with his
understanding Of his verbal instructions,
which he states were to the effect that he
should not suffer the expedition to be de
layed by waiting on the Yantic. Indeed
he testified before tho court of inquiry
that he never regarded the Yantic as OF
any practical USE" and, although she was
specially sheathed for her arctic cruise
he Thought she was sent up simply tC
satisfy public opinion, as o good many
papers had advocated the sending OF d
vessel"
Some 5000 rations were landed on the
ice before the ship sunk, about two boat
loads of which, estimated ut one third Of
the whole, were abandoned on an ice hoe
OF the provisions saved, about 500 rations
were deposited at Cape Sabine by Lieut.
Colwell for Lieut.. Greedy and his party OF
twenty-five men, who, in obedience "a
ORDERS were expected to arrive at that
point early in September Darlington re-
serving for himself and the men with
him not less than 1900 rations, or forty
days full ratlons for thirty men
including tho officers and crew of the
Proteus. Among tho supplies reserved by
Darlington was keg containing twenty
gallons of alcohol, the most vital com 20.
nent Of the Arctic ration.
Ho subsequently,, on his retreat
knocked in the head of tho kog and
emptiod the alcohol into the water co pre-,
vent its being tempered with by the men
The combined parties were provided
after the wreck with an abundance OF
Arctic clothing, good supply of which
was deposited for Greedy five boats eight
rifles, six shotguns, several revolvers
and not less than five thousand rounds OF
ammunition. GarlingtOn's own immedi-
ate command, numbering fourteen, had
three rifles, ono shotgun, two revolyers