A CURIOUS AFFAIR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1088, 6 April 1883, Page 3

A CURIOUS AFFAIR.

The following extraordinary article, from the pen of “ Pollox,” appears in the Kcvj Ze.a.and Herald (Auckland) of a recent date Curiosity has been considerably excited as to the meaning of tho question pat by Mr Ashraead-Bartlett in the House of Commons as to whether the Government would bo disposed to lay on the taole a report of any communications hold with the Government of the United States and of Denmark regarding any events that had recently occurred on the coast of Greenland ; and the reply that the communications were of such a nature that the flovernment did not fed warranted in yet making them pub. lie, but that so soon as the negotiations were completed full reports would be submitted It appeared that towards the end of lust summer Her Majesty’s ship Beagle, being on a cruising expedition in distant northern latitudes, had approached within a mile or two of that portion of the coast of Greenland which is between the seventieth and seventy-first degrees of north latitude. As it is well-known, the whole of the coast there is a mass of frozen sea ; indeed it is tho home of ieelmvis, and the somce from whieli they set oIF their southern ccurse down the North Atlantic. In fact to what distance this extends from the coast line seaward, or how far the solid land is removed from the optaide of this frozen fringe, no one can tell: but that many miles of solid : ee exist there portions of which break off from time to time, ■ and traverse the ocean away in the dir ction of the British Islands, having a strong i . fluence on the seasons there, is well known. In fact, during the last four or five years, the untimely cold and severity of the weather, which has proved so disastrous to the harvests throughout the British Islands have been accounted for by the great and usual frequency and immense size of the i; burrs that h-i ■« floated down and meltid m these is off the western coasts of the British Islands. Some suspicion has been aroused at the extraordinary frequency of these bergs, and it is, believed that the Beagle had been sent to explore and report on tho causes which might have led to these unusual visitors. When cruising off the ice-bound coast of Greenland, about daylight one morning the crew wre startled by a tremendous report to landward, and at the same instant a huge area of the frozen shore seemed to topple over and fall into the sea. Although the Beagle was at a considerable distance, the waves raised by the falling berg were so great that for some time she was m imminent peril of foundering, and after great danger got righted, and, steered away from the vicinity of the berg, which seemed nearly half a mile in width, and which plunged and roiled over for some time in a manner that would have been fatal to the vessel if she had not rapidly moved out of its course. After the sea had subsided, and tho berg had proceeded slowly off in the current southward, the coast was carefully scanned with glasses, and, after some time an ohserver at the masthead noticed what he took to he tents on shore, and more careful exanimation discovered men moving about in the vicinity. As rapidly as possible the steamer was got under way, and coming round, to where there seemed a break in the precipitous seahound coast, a landing party with great difficulty made the ascent, and coming up to the higher level dropped upon an encampment of about a dozen tents and hills, on a flagstaff adjoining which the American flag was immediately run up. On the landing' party approaching, about 50 persons, covered in furs and skins, and apparently Esquimaux, made thrdr appearance, and one, who seemed to be the leader of them, pointing to the tlvg, said “ We be American citizens, we lie, and we don’t want to have nothing to do with darned Britishers." The officer in command said he was glad to meet them, and did not wish to interfere with them in any way, hut he was desirous of knowing what they were doing in that inhospitable place. “ I guess we’re getting icebergs, stranger, you bet ” replied the Yankee ; and being of communicative disposition, told them that for souie time they had been " rounding off the coast of Greenland, sending down a few icebeigs now and then to cool the “ darned Britishers ” The full force of the diabolical proceedings at once struck the landing party, and now they saw what it was that during the last five or six years had been producing such a disastrous change in the climate of the British Islands and ruining the harvests. Although defied by tlio Yankee to interfere with them when under tho protection of the Stars and Stripes, the landing party made a search ami discovered an enormous quantity of dynamite, with which the Yankee “ captain” told them they had been “ making bergs.” In fact, he candidly told them that they were employed by a “ ring ” of American capitalists, who were bent on ruining the Br tish firmer, and so promoting the interests of the States, and with this object had been blasting with dynamite and floating icebergs off the coast of Greenland shortly before harvest time, for a number of years past. Notwithstanding their indignant protests, they were all placed under arrest and taken on board the Beagle, the dynamite and other stores being thrown into the sea. On the demand of the American Ambassador, they were at once , liberated on their arrival in England, and forwarded to America, with an ; apology from the British Government to the Presi , dent of America, for the unauthorised 1 action of the commander of the Beagle. It L is not yet known whether the apology will be accepted as sufficient to satisfy the out- , raged honour of the Stars and Stripes ; but it is hoped that through the conciliatory spirit shown by the British Government, and their readiness to make any reparation , required, the rather startled relations j between these two great nations may yet be placod on a satisfactory footing.