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

term or service by regiments In the remote ana
less favored parts OF the country. and recountS
the grievances OF officers and soldiers who are
kept continuously on the plains
Hemmed I'm by Ice.
ENGINEER MELvILLE's 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 OF occupations and amusements. The officers
employed nearly all their time In reading when of
duty, usually after dinner and supper. There was
general conversation among the officers upon
religion. politics and other subjects. The gene
raj tone or the messeS was very pleasant, and
there was less OF disagreement among the officers
In the Jeanette mess than in most OF those have
been In during my 81 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 happenei 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
Mr. Chipp would play cards for amusement I
know now. During the day time any person, Off
Ger or seaman, might take his gun and hunt over
the foe for any distance the only restriction being
TO be on board ship by shutdown or at the dropping
OF 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
dug all the way around the Ship to ease her IN
she should attempt to rise, as she would naturally
do. being ightened by the amount OF coal and pro-
Visions which had been used during the winter.
We found as spring approached and the ship
loosened in her bed, she invariably arose in the
water About March 10, 1880, we had shifted so
far to the southwark and eastward as to bring the
mountain peaks OF 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 disagreeable
and there was much fog. After April 1st the
spring and summer routines were enforced. Such
the ice was discontinued. The weather being fine
1t was natural to suppose that the people would
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 nreman's
water that had accumulated there was pumped
out. would here state that had orders from the
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 q
temperature OF 60 Fahrenheit as steadily as pos
sible.
SAVING COAL.
Towards the latter part of May the fires in the
stoves in the cabin and forecastle were discontin-
ued between am. and 6p.m. To avoid the ex-
pendture OF coal in the galley, the tea water was
heated Oh the cabin and fOrecastle stoves About
the lst OF June the deck was cleared up, the ship
nd e ssp rsady sea- sa' anens
1st long leads OF water commenced to make In ali
directions, but none making directly in toward
mile In any direction without the use OF a boats
or. as the hunters managed 1T, by padding across
the leads OF water on piece OF Ice. About this
time Mr.. Chpp and the Captain discussed the
possibility OF blasting the Ice between the ship
and the nearest lead to which the ship could be
worked, and The conclusion they came to was that
there was not powder enough in the ship to effect
MAKING ToRPEDoEs.
Mr.. Chipp was directed to make torpedOes. He
devised fuses and insulated wire for torpedo pur-
poses, to be used with what powder he had pro-
vided, the leads made closer to the Ship Later in
the season the ice thawed astern OF US, making
short lead nearly at right angles to the line OF 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
aStern into the open water. An immense mass OF
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 a piece
Of 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 was 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 ordered
First-class Private Clarence Weaver on duty at
Cairo, Ill. will proceed and report for duty to Ser
Waukee, Wis. Sergeant Joseph E. Mueller, on duty
at Milwaukee, Wis, will relieve Sergeant William
A. Reid, In charge OF station at Grand Haven,
Mich; Sergeant Reid will relieve FrSt-ClasS Prl-
burg. Pa: Private Daily Will relieve First-class
Private Frank p. Chaffee, in charge OF station at
Fort Macon N. c.; Private Chaffee will report for
duty to Sergeant George w. Felger, in charge of
station at Baltimore, Md: Sergeant julius g.
will relieve Sergeant Samuel w. Beall, in charge
Of station at OSwego, N. Y; Sergeant BeaIl win
assume charge OF the Mount Washington station.
PATENTS were issued to-day as follows: Daniel
Ammen, Beltsville, Nd, sea-going vessel: Henry
Bell, Baltimore, altering funnel; Walter NJ. Ger
mOnd, Baltimore, lubrcatOr; Wm.H. Hopes, Balti-
more manufacture OF tOmbStoneS, &C., from plastic
fruit basket; Hiram o. Kerns, Sutherlin, Va, de-
Vice for attaching pillow beams to handles: VIM.
L. Langley, Baltimore, punch for and method OF
cancellng tickets; Lawrence LOttler, Richmond,
steam boiler; Timothy w. Murphy, Washington,
horseshoe; Morton Toulmin, Washington, paper
fastening machine.