The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-05-09
THE JEANETTE EXPEDITION
Preparations for the Search for The North
Pole by Way Of Behriiig strsits.
From the San Ernnciscn Rnllnfin 4

to command The jeanette OH the Arctic
expedition, is expected to arrive in
this city the first week in May. Lieut.
De Long is about SO years of age, is
nearly six feet in height, has stout
frame, clear complexion, graceful and
reserved manners. He has served Is
years III the navy. In 1873 he was nav
igator of the Juniata, which, with
Tigress, went in search of the Polaris.
The Jeanette, which is being thor
oughly overhauled at Mare island, was
named after Mr. Bennetps sister, She
was originally II. NJ. S. Pandora, and
went through the hands of two or three
owners from the British government to
Mr.. Bennett, who purchased her for the
express purpose of prosecuting the
search for the north pole via Behring
straits. Lieut.. DE Long, who was
nominated for the command by Mr..
Bennett, joined the Jeanette at I1avre.
The handsome, rakish looking little ship
lies low, the rail making graceful
curves, is 420 tons burden, 143 feet
long, 20 feet beam, and draws 16 feet
of water when fully loaded. She has
three masts, rakishly set, and in rig is
what Is called barkentine, with roll
ling topsails, and will lie easy 10 man
age. She is provided, besides, with
boilers and screw, which will enable
the navigator TO make all possible speed,
compatible with safety, during the ad-
vance, within the brief season OF Arc
ticssummer, on the theoretic north pole.
She had room only for limited supply
of coal During the sail of 165 days
from London to this port, she steamed
Is days during calms and through the
straits of Magellan. Lieut.. De Long
will husband the coal for the ice re-
gions, where he expects TO use steam
almost altogether. Very heavy gales
were experienced in this last long voy-
age, the Jeanette behaving splendidly,
and drawing from her commander the
he had ever been to sea in.
The important duty now devolving
upon the commander is the selection of
a crcw-33 men all told, % forward.
and eight abalt A few of the officers
besides the commander, already chosen
or likely to be. are Lieut.. Charles W.
! Chip, executive officer; John w.
DanchoWcr, master, and Passed Assist
anf Engineer Geo. W. Melville. Every
officer and seaman will be volunteer.
Lieut.. De Long has received letters
from enough applicants to man fl ,et,
and enough experienced seamcn to man
a lrigate. These exhibit features in
teresting and ludcrous, and have been
received from all kinds of men and
school-boys. Lawyers and schoolmas-
tcrs have applied by dozens, and even
newspaper writer's have expressed a
desire TO penetrate the Arctic regions.
A great many have, they relate, very
important theories of Arctic exploration
and suggestions which they are willing
TO have utilized if properly remumera-
ted for them. Some are willing 10 90
| if proper financial Inducements are Of
lcrred. and others are willing TO 60 for
the glory of it alone.
Preference to American seamen will
be given for national reasons, and they
will be shipped under naval rules. A
great many things have to be consd-
cred in making choice of crew. Each
man must be physically perfect. a
very slight defect here might become Il
serious ailment in the polar latitudes.
Men who are habituated to liquor can
not be taken. Lieut.. DE Long believes
i'll very moderate use grog on ship
board, and men who need liquor here
need more in the Arctics. OF course.
each man must be a good seaman, and
intelligence and cheerful dispositions
will be sought after. The capacity To
sing. dance, and spin good yarns. or to
do anything to entertain shipmatcs,
will receive important considerations
The commander prefers to take unrnar-
ricd men, especially before the mast
An educated man, usually, is stimuat-
ed to greater effort if he has family to
take pride in his success, but an igno-
rant man, if there is reason to become
disheartened, is made even more worth
less by thought of the family he has
left behind. All hands will be nearly
devoid as to food and clothing, and the
seamcn will be made companions of, so
! far as they show worthiness and the
interests of discipline will allow, mu-
tnal respect and harmonious feeling and
/ common enthusiasm being essential ell
cmcnts of success. The discipline will
be made as little irksome as possible,
but the naval precept of absolute obed-
iencc TO superior authority will be
maintained without laXity, no order be-
ing given TO an inferior which the sup
crior would not be willing to do him.
self, and each one bound TO the deter
minaton to 90 ahead until the com
mandcr orders him 10 stop. Experience
has proven that healthy men can en-
durc the cold much easier than the
long winter of darkness and contine-
memt to the vessel.
IL is expected that the jeanette will
he newly fitted out by the first of June.
Her cargo will be food and fuel intend
ed for three years cruise. Bulk is a
great consideration. Articles of outfit
aud travel, such as sledges, tents, lee
anchors and ice tows were bought in
London. Sailing from this harbor ui,
or about the 10Th of June, the Jeanette
will touch nj st. Paul's island, one o
the fur seal or Prybilor group, and al
st. Michael's, trading post in Alaska
where dogs, and dried fish for their food
: fur clothing, and more slcdges will bt
taken aboard. Then she will touch n
ST. Lawrence bay, on the Sberial
, coast. At the last two places Esqui
maux will be engaged as dog-driver
and interpreters. Lieut.. De Long eN
z pecis from that point to proceed north
= westerly from the straits in search @
Prof. Nordenskiold, the Swede wh'
? ,aiIed from Stockholm lasl July To max,
lnc never accomplished nOrincasl pas
sage through the Siberian seas. If th'
; natives are to be believed, he has ha'
z wonderful success. having. they report
reached kolintchin bay, not many hun
p, dred mlessdistant from Behring straits
: where he is frozen in, aud probabl
= safe. lie can scarcely eXtricate him
A., self before the Jeaneiie approaches tha
port in the middle of July. If he i
! found, and cannot get through, Lieut.
! De Long expects to bring back tiding
10 Alaska. But if he can be his owl
u herald the Jeanette will steam as ia
G north of Behring straits as possible ant
G stay until the provisions nearly Civ
I ont, or some worthy discovery is made
o In this direction, probably, the seven
? ty-first parallel has never been passed
II A whaler, Capt. Long, reported Ian