National Republican., 1882-12-04
SENSITIVE COLLINS.
His Troubles With the Naval Officers of
the ,Jennnette.


the Jennnette.
A special from this city to the Minneapolis
Tribune says that the letter written by Jerome
]. Collins to Captain Dc Long, found among
the effects of Collins, which was ruled out
during the investigation, contains the follow
ing: Permit me to express some surprise that
the occupant of the position of meteoroogist
on this expedition does not come under the
operation of your strict rule of official courtesy
respect for which in all transactions YOU re-
quested with so much emphasis little while
ago. ContemptuOus disregard for my personal
feelings as member of the expedition, ex-
hibited in several ways and from time to time
by yourself and your fellow officers, | can
well afford to pass as unworthy of notice; but
in my capacity as an employe of Mr.. Bennett,
and a recognized entity in the official personal
of the expedition by the Secretary of the
Navy, regard every act of discourtesy, Off
cial and personal, as an infringement ON my
rights, expressed or implied by the fact of my
appointment. / have been aware from the
commencement that the standing you were
willing to accord any civilian appointed to
take part in the scientific work is
MERE ACCESSORY"
to use an expression you employed to a re-
porter of the Washington Post in April, 1879
This was the way in which you endeayored to
give force to the statement that all the scien-
titic work required would be done by officers
of the Navy Mr.. Bennett, when asked about
this, said that you must have been misre-
ported Mr.. COnnery declared you never
used such language. On these assurances L
decided to come on the expedition, fully ex-
pecting to feel Mt home with number of men
who We're said to be incapable of selfshness
and injustice. You have ii in your power to
heap, or permit to be hcaped, any amount of
disrespect on me- socially or officially, and
am as a man with his hands tied | cannot
retaliate, l can only resent by silence. Three
several times you have threatened me with an
eXaction of obedience if it took every man on
the ship. When laid before you the facts of
one or two eases in which / felt aggrieved by
Others, you became at once tho apologist of
one party, and did not wish to hear ANYTHING
about the other. Latterly
THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING ON MIsERABLY,
in my official capacity. | am to infer by the
withdrawal of several instruments from time
to time that l have either neglected or do not
possess the ability to use them. First the
magnetic instruments one by one; then the
Photographic apparatus specially given in my
charge, and to which all had free access by the
exercise of your important official courtesy"
" i was directed to give DR.. Amber
the DanielFs hygrOmeter, which | did. |
don't believe he has used IL since. No ex-
PLANTATION such as kindly courtesy would sugs
geSt has been given to me- no more than if /
was a lamp-trimmer in the fre-room Yet if
l wanted a little hot water to make tea for
my luxurious breakfast during midwatch,
official courtesy demands that must 90 to
Mr.. Melville about it. Don't you suppose /
am as sensitive as Melville or yourself or any
body else when ! am treated with official dis
courtesy? You think you can do with me as
you please now and laugh at the future. You
arc making mistake common to men Of your
disposition and habits of self-complacency