The Evening critic., 1882-10-14
THE JEANNETTE INQUIRY.
Testimony of Lieutenant John w.
Dnncnhowcr MS 10 the Condition


Testimony of Lieutenant JOnu W.
Dancnhowcr Ms 10 the Condition
OF the Vessel.
Thoninih day OF the Jeannotto inquiry was
opened this morning with Lieutenant John
W. Dancnhower on the witness stand. Wit
mess was an officer on tho Joannettc on her
explorations In the Arctic sens. To tho In
qulry, "Whero ~ tho Jcannetto nowf' ho
answered, "Sho ia sunk In 80 lathoms OF
water, latitude 77o 10, north and longitude
1850 O. east, having beon crushed by tho leo
on June IL and sunk Juno 10, 1881 / iolnod
the Jeanette at Havrc, France, July Z, 1873,
and made the voyage by way OF the Straits OF
Magellan 10 san Francisco, arriving there Do
cembcr 1S, 1878.
Was Not Ordered to the Jeannettc
for tho Arctic expedition upon my own appli.
cation, I expressed my assent to going, and ut
Smyrna, In juno, 1870, I received n telegram
from Mr.. James Gordon Bennett that my sery
ices were accepted, and on July he tclc.
graphed TO tho United States and had mo
ordered. My assignment and services on the
vessel were by my own approval. Subse-
quently he was detailed by tho Secretary OF
the Navy TO report to the commandant OF the
Mare Island Navy.Yard, California, Tor the re.
sumption of duties on board the Jeannotto.
on April l, 1870, was sent to report the
Progress OF the work on the Jeannette, and TO
disburso the funds in payment thereof. This
was done at the instance OF Lieutenant Dc
Long, who gave mo written specifications
relative to tho repairs OF tho ship. Those
specifications went down IN the ship. They
were in regard TO tho details OF the work OF re-
pair on the hull boilers and engines, etc. Tho
old boilers were first holstod out, and tho d.
ngonnl wooden trusses I'm the boiler and coal
bunker spaces were removed. This space was
thirty mine feet ana eight Inches between tho
hulkheads, which were the main bulkheads of
the ship. For these trusses oregon pine was
substituted and made n complete ceiling from
he bollcr-bed timbers up to tho lowcr deck
helf
Witness hero produced n sketch which had
been made at tho time when repairs wore in
progress, and which was offered as evidence.
Witness also detailed at length tho manner in
which tho Jeanette had boon repaired-the
sizes Of timbers put In, kinds OF general ma
torials used, their strength and tho proprioty
of them, otc.
When tho vessel camo of tho dock tho boil
ers were hoisted In and tho repairs OF tho rig
cling effected under tho direction of Mr.. Chipp
by this time the strongthening OF tho hull
was complete. A now suit OF sails was pro.
vided and tho old sails thoroughly repaired
and ovcrhauled. Tho foregoing work was per-
formed while was the representative OF Lieu
tenant Dc Long, but about April 3, 1870,
Lieutenant Chipp arrived from China, and as
he was going out rs executive of1icer OF the
ship, he desired TO go on duty at once to assist
in hitting her out.
About that date ho received orders to Join
her, and turned over everything to him ex-
cept tho money AFFAIRS, having received such
directions from Lieutenant De Long. In re-
gard to the quality OF the work done ut the
Mare Island Yard at the tlme, 1t was |, and
there were two men kept aboard constantly,
who were looking out for our interests-Alfred
Swcetman, n thorough ship.carpenter (who
was lost with Lieutenant Chipp's party, and
John Cole, boatswain.
Both OF these men were special employees OF
Mr.. Bennett. often availcd myself OF the
suggestions of Mr.. Swcetman. Every facility
was given us In tho work. There were small
details carried out with view 10 tho comfort
OF the ofIlcers crew, such rs the placing of
berths In the forecastle and tho arranging OF
the gollery, &C.; also building deckhouse,
to be put up in winter quarters.
The spars were all right rs to strength, but
thought tho vessel should be respared and
have more canvas, because she would not tack
well.
considered the Jeannette, aftor tho re-
pairs were completed,
Adapted TO Arctic Explorations.
1t is hard TO toll what effect tho putting In Of
trusswork instead of bulkhoads had, MS rec.
commended by tho Board of Survey. 1t woul Il
be only problematical The same may be said
Of other deviations from recommendations of
the board In repairs, as may be seen by test
OF the vessels strength.
on January 10, 1880, tho vessel was sub.
tected TO n heavy longitudinal pressure and
she sprung leak. 1t was afterward found
stitution mode OF repairs in the matter of
hooks and braces believe to have been an
Improvement over the recommendations of tho
board. Ashipwright would probably not have
made some OF tho recommendations for re-.
pairs that were recommended by the board.
The ship
Would Doubtless Have Been
Stronger
had there been no stowage capacity. cannot
state positively who Is responsible for the de-
vlations from the repairs recommended by tho
Board of Survey. When the Jeannotte left
San Francisco she was deeply laden, but that
Is always tho case with Arctic ships. Her
condition was strong and good when she sailed.
The model OF the Jeannette was not suited
TO Arctic cruising. The Kettle ebottomed vessel,
with flare outsides, would probably be the
best, because the leo would shove under her
and lift her quicker than II she were wedge.
shaped. The Joannetto was a singlo.iramed
vessel, lightly built Her greatest breadth
was Just abaft tho foremost, and from that
point to near the mainmast she had very full
under body, and was then cut away aft. In
speaking OF her / heard one remark on the
dock at the yard, how much she was cut away
aft. She had q great deal OF dead'rlse abaf
the mainmast.
The Court adjourned at 20 p. m. until II
a. m. on Monday next, when Lieutenant Dan
enhower Will resume his testimony.