New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-08
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
TWO WINTERS IN THE ICE.
ENGINEER MFLvlILE's TESTIMONY BEFORE THE


JEANETTE BOARD OF INQUIRY.
WASHINGTON, Nov. THE examination OF
Chief Engineer Melville resumed this morning be-
fore the Jeanette Board OF Inquiry Witness continued
The winter of 1879 aud 1880 passed quietly with the
usual routine OF occupations and amnsemens. The Off
cora EMPLOYED nearly ali their time IN reading when On
dutv Usually after dinner and supper there was gen
era conversation the officers upon religion, poll
ties and other subect The general tone OF the messes
was very pleasant aud there less of disagreement
among the officers In the Jeannette's mess than
Il, most Of those have been in during
nv twenty-One years service in the Navy
On sundays we hal better dinner Than usual 1t
seemed to be the desire OF the commanding oicer-who
messed with us-tO bring on genera, conversation ana
we would discuss any thing that happened TO be
uprermost in our thoughts. In the fret part OF the
cruise the captain the doctor Mr. Collins and MIR. Dun
bar and occasionally Mr.. Chip, would play cards
for amusement I never PLAYED cards. never knew
how and don't know now. During the daytime any
per.un officer seaman, might Jake his gun AVID hunt
over he foe for any di-an the only rcsricOn DelnR
To he board ship by shutdown, or at tue dropping
the ball the masth al. During the WINTER
the hunters 81 OF number Of bears. believe MI Dun
bar accredited with the gr atest number Fireman man
Bartlett aud Min. efmauD being tire most per
Greatest number Of 81 ais and waruses The most of
aud Wdlruses however were obtained III the spIlhs
Ab1ut the middle Of March the sIn begun pretty
strong the removed from the snips sides ana
trench al the around the sup I" eise ner
ia case she ,hOuid attnpt To rise, as she would nsiui
av do h iig lghteued Oy the OF coal aud pro
visions winch lad been used aurng tue winter We
touad spring approached and tne sup looseheu
in her BED, she invaT aDy arose in the water About
March Is 1880 b d drned 40 far 10 the souihwaid
and eastward bring the noun AIN peaks OF Nragrl
Lam in sight mention this to show that the driit
was not continuously 10 the nOrThwnrd but That inc
whole &c lOunu 10 be drifting AT various tines 20
All ponls OF the compass apparently governed by the
WINDS and currents. During tine month or March the
weather a dlsagrceabc. There was much fO-
tee April the spring and summer rOutlnes we're en-
forced cnGr sng tue meal hours, ana the eAeI
else tie zee discontinued The weather De s me-
uutur, 10 suYpuse that the people WOud ak SIT
fclent exercise al al times 10 malntaiu soou DoNiy
in t1e spring the store rooms were broken out, the
Dllge pumI removed rom the en-lne-rOoih anu
placed the rerOun hatc ar. The shp being oct Oy
lie stern, toe water mat had uccunulatcu there was
pumped ! WouO mere STATE hat had orders from
t. commanding 0ihcer To httehu 40 ne heatu% Oh tno
quar- of officers and men, aud thosc Ordcrs were
0unns he winter time 20 maintain temperature "a oO'
Fam cnhcIt az eaully as possible.
Toward tue later part of Nay the fires In the stoves
IN cabin ana forecstlr were dlscOn nned between
a ~ ana D. Ia. 10 AVOID TUG eAPel'IuIe Vi -. ~
gacy tie tea water was heateA Oh the cdblu ana
stoves. About Jun" the decAs were cleared
up sip painted tIe running gear was attended
10 the snip gOt READY Tor sea ABOUT jay long
max ng directly IL toward snip II impossible
t. travel more than mile any direction without tie
aged II, by padding across the leads Of water
o. q piece &c. An ut thus ume M. Chpp anu
the captain discussed the possibility OF blasting the Ice
between the snip anu he Ici,s cad IL "nch the sup
could be wurkrdnd Lie CO. clus on cJ ctr 10 va 'i4'
CYp direc,ed 10 make torpedUcs lie devised Iuses
ana lsJ.ucd NIe Ici iuIpco pul poses 10 NC uagu Mn
powder he lad, PROVIDED lie Icas MdUe closer 10
ir stio Itr m tne r., AEON the Ice tnaVed Of
I rp - shor1 lead nearly Al i,t nIlIe- 10 tie Inc
oI tue sAI, not leading lnto al! 0l the nam leads
Inc sAIp's les.lng Oh large suikeh Hoe
niece N lr n wac sup Osed al tne uiue might lie
slo ana open OLD wOund Al uer tOre4OUC Al EFFORT
vs. maze snip urtern into ne open ~hter
An IMMENSE Iass oil ice was removed from
cuuu.cls, lie people working W 10 tuer Waists IN
wa.tr. FINALLY the ship was hove asterA snort dis
tance the ar-c noCPcce rising GnGer ner bows. 1ne
.np settled neatly al even e tne tnr i,d4 Ia
Inc DOW Wa closely WatcAed Ii VS. iOund 10 nave IN
creased oon,uciuDy As uere "aS s..i1 piece 81 ice
IN e. uer lOrriOOtI thought best 70 lt Tie snip
lac as SAT- During tie suni"er the carpenter >
iOr,s altered tie SNAP OF tne drckLOISe butinS over
fUrccdse natcn ana SKY sht iOI c purpose VI a~
Ing IL armcr ana ar er
Dunng me nlst wlAter, when she leaked oaGiy
the snip vry WEI, because III uiig Ia coo space oe
tween lie rdnes and u.'ins n t"c "aIc.-us"1 Dulk
heads, tOiecasi.e deck Doug D,IoW the wafer ~ T.
water found 10 own ievc a0OVe tie Orecasue utcA
aud at umes ram aOns over tie deck As soon as ,ne
Leak vas suicleuly stopped tuc water was alo"oI ~
HOW All % LIE tnls Relieved The iurecasIe OF
mach II the moisture. witness tnOug1t, from "Aat NC
READ OF Otner ATclc sup, luh' lhe Jeulio.to
might considered dry sh p Toward he laser part
" August propeller was p" In place, ana tue snip
ana cnbnes we're gotteh ready IL c"Se INC noe shouu
breaA up. - 49,. ., - - $500, -
the forward part OF the snip and covered Win sails aud
awnings lOr the winter. Iue pcbmcdu Was IcuO' ed
senc.e-. crews kHpsacks aid spaie cIOtAilg,
toms, cOUkatoyes and ali lat snail scar ltenucd ior
were Always kept GA DECK or IA convenient
place 10 be rally passed over nc shPs side
Oh TO the zee, the alcOHOi aIUnC Oelng sOtcd boiO"
uO ~. oico' "i - s,oycu ON he sar deck aud
covered Iaul but ss SOME Oh tie cans were
found q leak tncS we're stUlcu unGcF the hdtcH
NOvt inner l.-Iue winter TOu.lue Il again put III
fOCc including the Customary eAcICscr Oh the ct ana
Inc eAaAn,tIou Once,s anu crew D. tue nedicl
onlcers Durag tins winter, as vel tue previous
one people AMUSED themselves "a, thry 50" Dtst
uurBg the lOurs' exercise on The ice, "aiGiLg,
run Ing or kicking football The officers read more
than dunA previous ,er ana tnSre appedIed 10
less pla,ug OF Iauics among item, noAt O thehl
seeIlug 10 DC III a. good spIiI,s JAey were tAe
winter bo.OIe Inc lac dl4l ana mono OnOus
Eyen the ceptury OF io1 was harlly eoAsaeieI as
"A tang OF iEtercs, lhere was very niue
movement the during the all ANA winner o; lsoO
and sip LAP very qledy Ia neT 1ed Oh Ne" 4cai
I've IsS l. ,nc Lave "A m'uhtIct enteri lnncut IN
the use al the 1, limitation Ui wnch the cdpan
address comm hung Ter SoUu DCAAs'C tnl
cheering 20 well IA uc Iuturr hs tAey Ldd
done Ia tue past. lie told them tIeTe had been 10
trnuhe among IutIu nad been pIIsucu ala h0
uop.4 that next ear all would Oe at their nuines
Ine court adjourned al LAO y. lii. unIl lOJO a. NJ To-
morrow.