Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-07

war. The deSertion of his comrades in danger Is
| and ever should be construed as the baSeSt and
most heinous crime possible to a soldier, whereas
| OF late years under the benign influence OF our
bureau of military justice 1t has grown to be con-
sidered as OF little more concern than laborer
| to quit his employer without leave or notice.
would be perfectly willing in trials for desertlon
to submit the case or each desert er to jury OF his
| own Tellow-soldiers. In any event invite your
close attention to this whole subject, believing 1t
to be OF vital Importance to the interests OF our
military establishment"
! The report observes that the general character
OF the recruits to-day Is better than 1t was twenty
| years ago. 1t remarks also with satisfaction the
Improvement In rifle firing.
| 1t recommends the adoption OF some Just rule for
term OF service by regiments in the remote and
less favored parts Of the country, and recounts
the grievances OF officers and soldiers who are
kept continuously on the plains.
Hemmed In by Ice.
ENGINEER MELvILLEs ACCOUNT OF HOW THE JEAN
NETTE CREW PASSED THEIR TIME.
The examination OF Chief Engineer Melville was
resumed this morning before the Jeanette board
OF inquiry. Witness continued: The winter of
1879 and 1880 passed quietly, with the usual rou-
tine or occupations and amuSementS The officers
employed nearly all their time in reading when off
duty, usually after dinner and supper. There was
general GGnversaton nam among the Officers upon
raj tone or tue meSSeS was very pleasant. and
there WIS less Of disagreement among the officers
In the Jeanette mess than In most OF those have
been In during my q years service In the navy.
On Sundays we had better dinner than usual 1t
seemed to be the desire OF the commanding officer
(Who messed with uS) TO bring On a general con-
VersatiOn and We would discuss almost anything
that happenet to be uppermost in our thoughts.
In the first part of the cruise the captain the doc
tor, Mr. Collins and Mr.. Dunbar and occasionally
MIR. Chipp would play cards for amusement
never played Cards, never knew how and don't
know now. During the day time any person, OFF,
Ger or seaman, might take his gun and hunt over
the hoe for any distance, the only restriction being
TO be on board ship by shutdown or at the dropping
or the ball at the masthead
ARCTIC HUNTING.
During the winter time the hunters shot num-
Der of bears. believe Mr.. Dunbar was accredited
with the greatest number Fireman Bartlett and
Seaman Ninderman being the most persistent
hunters. believe they were accredited with the
greatest number Of seals and walrus. The most
OF the seal and walruS, however, were obtained in
the spring and fall. About the middle Of March
the sun commenced to get pretty strong, the snow
was removed from the ships sides and a trench
dug all the way around the Ship to ease her IN case
she should attempt to r1Se as she would naturally
do being lightened by the amount OF coal and pro-
visions which had been used during the winter.
loosened in her bed, she invariably arose In the
water. About March 1s, 1880, we had shifted so
Tar to the southwark and eastward as to bring the
mountain peaks or Wrangel Land in sight.
ADRIFT WITH THE ICE.
mention this fact to show that the drift was
not continuously 20 the northward, but that the
whole foe was found to be drifting at various
times to all points Of the compass, apparently
governed by the winds and currents During the
month of March the weather was dsagreeable
and there was much fog. After April 1st the
spring and summer routineS were enforced. Such
as changing the meal hours, and the exercise ON
the Ice was discontinued. The weather being fine
1t was natural to suppose that the people would
take sufficient exercise at all times to maintain
good bodily health. In the spring the store rooms
were broken out the bilge pump was removed
from the engine room and placed In the f1reman's
hatch aft. The ship being set by the storm, the
water that had accumulated there was pumped
/ ia
commanding officer to attend to the heating OF
the quarters OF the officers and men, and those
orders were during the winter time to maintain O
temperature OF 20 Fahrenheit as steadily as pos
sible
SAVING COAL.
Towards the latter part OF May the fires In the
stoves in the cabin ana forecastle were discontin-
ued between am. and pm. To avoid the ex-
penditure OF coal In the galley, the tea water was
heated on the cabin and forecastle stoves. About
the 1St of June the deck was cleared up, the ship
was painted, the running gear was attended to,
ana the snip got ready Tor sea. About July
1st long leads OF water commenced to make in ali
directions, but none making directly in toward
the snip 1t was impossible to travel ,aore than
mile in any direction without the use OF boat,
Or as the hunters managed it, by padding across
the leads of water on piece OF ice. About this
possibility OF blasting the Ice between the ship
and the nearest lead to which the ship cou la be
worked and the conclusion they came to was that
there was not powder enough in the ship TO effect
it.
MAKING TORPEDOES.
Mr.. Chip Was directed to make tOrpedOes. He
devised fuses and insulated wire for torpedo pur-
poses, to be used with what powder he had pro-
vded, the leads made closer to the Ship Later In
the season the ice thawed astern OF Us, making a
short lead nearly at right angles to the line the
ship, but not leading into any OF the main leads.
The ships fOre-foot was resting on large Sunken
foe piece, which was supposed at the time might
strain the ship and open the old wound in her
fore-foot An effort was made to heave the ship
N imm mi Nf
Ice was removed from under her counters, the peo-
pie working up to their waists In water. Finally
the ship was hove aStern a short distance, the
large foe piece rising under her bows. The ship
settled down on nearly an even keel, and the leak
in the bow was closely watched. 1t was found to
have increased much. AS there was still piece
or Ice under her forefoOt 1t was thought best to
let the ship lay as SHe was. Witness thought from
what he had read OF other Arctic ships that the
Jeanette might be considered dry ship. Toward
the latter part OF August the propeller vas put IN
place, and the ship and engines were gotten ready
In case the foe should break up.
SIGNAL CORPS CHANGEs.-The following changes
in the stations and duties of enlisted men OF the
signal corps OF the United States army are ordered
First-class Private Clarence Weaver on duty at
Cairo, Ill., will proceed and report for duty TO Ser
geant William Line in charge OF station at Mil
at Milwaukee, Wis, will relieve Sergeant William
A. Reid, In charge OF station at Grand Haven,
Mich; Sergeant Reid will relieve First-Class Pri-
vate William Daily, In charge of station at Pitts
burg. Pa: Private Daily Will relieve Flrst-class
Private Frank p. Chafree, IN charge OF station at
Fort Macon N. c.; Private Chafree will report for
duty to Sergeant George w. Felger, in charge OF
stltion at Baltimore, Md; Sergeant julius g.
Linsley. on duty at Mount Washington, N. H..
will relieve Serge mt Samuel w. Beall, In charge
OF station at OSwegO, N. Y; Sergeant Beall Will
assume charge of the Mount Washington station.
PATENTS were issued to-day as follows: Daniel
Ammen, Beltsville, Md, going vessel; Henry
Bell, Baltimore nlteripg funnel; Walter NJ. Ger
mond, Baltimore, lubrcator; VIM. II. Hopes, Balti-
more manufacture OF tombstOnes, &c. from plastic
material; Eugene w. Humphreys, Salisbury, Md,
fruit baskeJ; Hiram O. Karns. Sutherlin, Va, de-
vice for attaching pillow beams to handles: VIM.
L. Langley, Baltimore, punch for and method OF
cancelling tickets; Lawrence Lottler, Richmond,
Va, plug tobacco; Edward j. Moore Baltimore
steam boiler; Timothy W. Murphy, Washington,
horseshoe: Morton Toulmin, Washington. paper
fastening machine.
Pilfering Employees.
AN HOTEL PROPRIETOR AND HIS GUESTS vIcTIMIzED
BY SERVANTS.
During the past four or five years the proprietor
or the American House has been missing articles
OF clothing, and the guests OF the house have been
missing articles OF jewelry and money, which,
I1trh in vain ut limo