Charles R. Lowell to By the President: Wm. M. Evarts, June 17, 1880
No. 309. Mr. Lowell to Mr. Evarts.
No. 19]
Sir: I have the honor to acquaint you that your telegram instructing me to inquire if the supplies stored by the British Arctic Expedition of 1875-’76 might, in case of necessity, be used by the polar expedition now organizing under the United States Signal Officer, arrived here late Friday evening, the 28th ultimo.
As it would have required considerable time to make these inquiries in the usual way through the foreign office, Mr. Nadal, at my request, on the 29th ultimo, went to the admiralty and saw Lord John Hay, one of the junior lords, who stated that the board on the day before, the 28th of May, decided to offer these stores for the use of our expedition, and I immediately communicated this fact to you by cable.
On the 1st instant I addressed Earl Granville on the subject, and asked him for a full list of these stores. I herewith inclose a copy of my note.
On the 9th of June instant I received a reply from his lordship, forwarding a chart of Smith’s Sound indicating the position of the several depots of provisions left by Sir George Nares’s expedition, and stating that the board of admiralty had pleasure in placing them at the disposal of the United States officers.
His lordship also inclosed a statement of the scale according to which the rations referred to on the chart are calculated. I transmit herewith a copy of this letter.
Agreeably to your telegram of the 28th of May, I sent the original chart with a copy of the accompanying papers on the 10th instant to Lieutenant Greely, care of the American consul at St. John’s, Newfoundland, and I forward a copy of my letter to him.
Finally, I addressed a note of thanks to Earl Granville, of which I also inclose a copy.
I have, &c.,