The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-01-04
THE ETTE.
Her Departure, from san Francisco
Tidinxs that were sent Back.

The Jeanette was sent to find the north
pole, and to reach it, if possible, by way of
Behring's Straits, a route pursued by no
other Arctic exploring expedition. North of
Behring's Straits is a part of the Arctic
Ocean known as Behring's Sea. into which
projects a tongue of land variously known as
Wrangell Land and Kellett Land. AS part
OF the plans the Jeanette was to endeavor
to discover whether this land is the southern
end of a polar continent. or is merely a
larger island than those that are. encountered
on the way to its shores. If Wrangell Land
proved to be but an island, the ~.Teannette's
search in water was to progress beyond and
around it.
There are three routes which have been
taken by those endeavoring to reach the
north pole-the Spitzbergen route being the
one approved by most of the English ex-
plorers, the Smiths Sound route on this side
of Greenland, and the hitherto untried route
through Behring's Straits. Explorers and
students of the subject differ as to the char
acter of the.ice that bars each of these routes,
and as to the currents.
It is not an exaggeration to say that in all
northern countries at least the experiment
by the Jeanette with all its favorable sur
roundings. was a marked event in the minds
Of all intelligent persons, and in the two
years that have elapsed since her departure
all have been anxious for her safety.
The Jeanette is a long, low, rakish look
irg schooner, bark rugged, of 400 tons bur-
den, and in general style what sailers call
long legged, or wedge shaped, and therefore
apparently admirably fitted for work in the
ice. She was built in 1868 by the British
Government as a despatch boat for the
Mediterranean service. She was then called
the Pandora. Sir Allan Young, an en-
thusiast on the question of Arctic explora-
ton, a searcher for Franklin, and a friend
of Henry Grinnell, bought her, fitted her
up, and sailed to the Arctic seas in her eight
years ago at his own expense. He started
too late in the year, met too much ice, and
came back to England. James Gordon
Bennett purchased her in the early part Of
1879 and called her the Jeanette, which is his
sister, name. By special act of Congress
she was registered under that name as an
American ship. Lieut.. George w. belong
of the navy, a New Yorker, who had been
to the Arctic seas in the Tigress, in search
of the Polaris. in 1873, was put in command
of the Jeanette with the approval of the
Secretary of the Navy. He took her to San
Francisco, by way OF the Straits of Magellan,
sailing most Of the way, and making the trip
in six months. At Mare Island Navy Yard
the Jeannette we5s thoroughly overhauled.
Her hull was braced with heavy trusses to
resist the crushing force Of ice. New boil
ers were put in her, her engines were over
hauled, two extra propellers were added to
her stores for emergencies, and tools and
simple mechanics machinery were also pro-
vided. Her cabin and forecastle were pad
ded with felt to keep out the cold. Her poop
deck was covered with many thicknesses of
canvas pointed over. She was equipped
with a steam launch, five whale boats, a boat
that could be used as q sled, eight tents, ice
saws, and a spare set Of sails and an entire
new outfit of canvas. Stoves to use soft coal
We're put in all the mems quarters. A strong
deck house tina. could be erected or taken
down at will was fitted to her, and then put
in another vessel which acted as a convoy.
The supply OF clothing and blankets was
described as almost endless. Each man was
measured for his clothing, and each received
three suits-a heavy brown copper-fastened
duck suit, lined with gray blanket, a regula-
ton blue naval costume, and a peajacket,
trousers, and SOU wester of black ollskin.
In addition, each man had q blue overcoat
and many pairs of blue stockings to reach to
the knees. Their shoes were of canvas lined
with felt. The officers wore the same suits,
except that in place of the regulation uniform
they wore officers dress. After these had
been furnished there came TO the ship from
the East three hogsheads of fur suits, which
had been Intended for the Howgate expedi-
ton.
The Jeanette was provisioned for three
years with food, mainly In the most con
densed form of meat extracts, canned meats,
canned vegetables and fruit-only the flour
and grain and the articles made of -four, the
crackers and biscuits being in the ordinary
and bulky shape. Every nook and corner
of the vesesll was thus laden with food or fuel
and the cOnvOy which was to follow her to.