Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-21
The Jeanette Inauirx-
LIEUT.. DANENHOwER EXAMINED AS TO THE ABAN
DONMENT OF THE SHIP

LIEUT.. DANENHowER EXAMINED AS TO THE ABAN-
DONMENT OF THE SHIP.
The examination Of Lieut. Danenhower before
the board OF inquiry this morning comprised a
series OF questions by the court touching the
abandonment OF the ship the direct narrative of
the previous days being interrupted for that pur-
pose.
Question.-'sWas the abandonment of the ship
anticipated, % pat and were preparations made prior to
Answer.-"Yes Sudden disaster was anttci-
pated, and, as have previously stated prepara-
tons tons were made when the ship first entered the
Q.-"What was the physical condition of the
officers and men when they landed on the ice June
A.-"The physical condition was good, with the
following exceptions: Lieut. Chipp was disabled
and prOStrated by what was supposed to be tin
poisoning. Twas disabled by the condition OF my
tor, but able to do other duty, and Alexy was
affected with an liberation of one of his legs A
number OF the men, among whom were Seaman
Tong Sing were also affected by the tin poisoning,
and were pro5trated few days LATER"
s,, 0naOn the 18th and lSth OF June was the pres
yielding to it?"
yielded to it that the pressure was much greater
than anything she had before been subjected to- -
Q-"Was anything done that was possible to
avoid the loss or the Jeanette; and If not, what
was omitted that might have been done7"
A;.m"Eyerything that circumstances would per-
Deen so constructed as TO have lived through the
pressure the Jeanette was subjected to on June
18th and 18th, 1887"
A.-'The ice pressures are so different and so
Unforeseen that a vessel could not be built and
fully insured, so to speak, to go through such an
experience successfully. For example, whatever
the model of the ship, and however we'll it may be
adapted TO rise under theoretical pressure, when
IL comes to experience projecting tongue OF ice
force which was brought to bear ON the Jeanette
wa. WAS sucent to crush any ship that could posst-
position as the Jeanette"
CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THE VESSEL.
In reply to further questions witness said ssThe
loss OF the Jeanette is to be attributed to the
that she was beset in the polar pack Arctic
cruisers seldom get In the vicinity of Wrangel
Land. They generally cruise off the edge OF the
pack, between Herald Island and Point
Barrow OF late years they have
been in the habit of leaving this
vicinity in the month of October generally before
the 10th, to avoid being beset In the ice 1t is
necessary In order to make Arctic explorations to
enter the packed ice, and 1t is frequently done in
some lOCalities-the Greenland seas for example
most favorable for following the leads through
the pack TO make explorations northwest of
,ran snat part ,ro Oh the ocean is seldom
the pack boldly off the west coast of Greenland in
forcing their way to the nOrthward because If
they are beset they drift south and get free. Pre-
vious to the 18th OF june 1851, 1t was not sup
posed that the necessity for abandoning. the
Jeannette had become imminent, but as to the ad-
visabllty 1t was simply matter OF Judgment
do not think it would have been advisable for an
exploring expedition to abandon their snip, but
for a whaler it would have been"
Q-"WaS the ships company ever drilled in an
the drill?"
At 40 the committee adjourned till 10: 80 am
Monday.