The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-21
~,,r r,Ors OF THE. JEANETTE.
xsessenans Dauenhower Relates the
crews Experience Tho Day the Vcs'
.rss Was Lost.

GOfki. IsttuttUdttt ytfltUtiV0tt NtN' fN>s'HN ~
In reply TO a question by the court, ne
stated that, judging from the experience OF
the whale ships and that OF the Jeanstte
hrrseH the chances Of getting free after
.cnre hcing besct In the ice such as Is usual
~ found off Wnngel Land are very
slight. The report OF Captain Hooper
20 fhe Secretary OF the Treasury OF
sac cruise OF the United States revc-
puc steamer Corwin during 1880 and
1881, witness thought, was good authority
Ga this point IL showed that So whaling
vessels have been beset In the ice and lost
Sipce 1871. Witness was asked: "Do YOU
Know OF anything in the management OF
the Jeanette which subsequent experience
rroyed prejudcial, and which could nave
besn ayoidedY" His answer was : ut Is
a qnestion OF judgment which Is called Tor
NV the court, and when embarked on the
expedition / was to abide by the ludg-
rnent Of the commander, and | do not
wish to oppose my judgment to that OF the
commander or others, unless II Is absolute
" required OF me-"
"Are there any material facts relating 10
Che management OF the Jeanette coming
within your own knowledge which you
Aave not stated!"
Answer: No. sir.
tered the ce-pack was ii, in your opinion
NJ that time, with fair prospect OF forcing
Arr way through and reaching the landy
Answer: At the time, or during the
zin,e we were entering the pack, could
not and did not form positive opinion.
would not care 10 give my opinion with
cut having been in the crow's-nest TO get a
fon view OF the situation. When the cap
txiu came down on deck it was very foggy,
and did not 90 aloit.
HOW THE TINE WAS PASSED.
In reply to further questions witness
sIeiched the daily occupations ana amuse-
xoeuts of the officers and men during their
S,pprisonment in the ice-pack. Each per-
con was provided with rife, and hunting
WIS encouraged. Football and foot-races
On the ice were often INDUCED in. The
s5ar-teams were hitched UP, and frequent
short excursions were made. Musical IN
ssyI,ments were furnished, and musical and
dramatic entertainments were gotten up.
Cards and other games were also supplied
10 The men. Witness was asked were the
provisions always found 10 be OF good
quality: and ii not, TO give the names OF
sbc contractors and manufacturers who
Furnished those which were defective.
POOR PROVISIONS.
Answer: A considerable quantity OF the
canned goods turned out badly. A large
invoice of canned beef, marked with Erie
Connany's brand. was bad, and had to he
xy.sccfed at Mare Island. Canned goods OF
all descriptions proved TO be bad at times,
and had to be condemned by survey, men,
sSon of which was made in the ships log
from day to day. The flour, bread, coffee,
Tea, sugar, butter, and such articles, were
veI'y GOOD. The canned goods were fur
Dished by Leggett a. Co. OF New York,
and were from the various canning estab-
jishments of the East and West. The
deterioration was not due to the temp
xerature TO which they were eX-
posed. as they were condemned from time
TO time from leaving San Francisco. Wit
ness was asked to state what observations
were taken and the nature, and replied:
q During the first year in the ice meteoro-
foSncal observations were taken hourly by
specially -dotailod officers. The instru-
ulents used were the barometer, the wet
and dry-bulb thermometer, the maximum
and minimum thermometer, the anemomc-
fer, and the back-bulb thermometer in a
vacuum. Observations were also made upon
the state of the clouds and their movements,
The direction of the wind, and the general
character Of the weather, and upon the con-
iItion OF the ice. The astronomical Obser-
Yafions were those Of the sun, moon, and
stars by artificial horizon for latitude, Ion
1itude, and time; and lunar observations
znd eclipscs OF Jupiters satellites for chrO-
norneter errors. Soundings were made,
and the temperature of the sea-watcr aScer-
famed, both at the surface and at various
depths, by a Millar-Cascelle thermometer.
Specimens Of the water were examined,
snpnifa ifKr 1ata1fniOan Tho
sirCdge was hauled for specimens of the
bottom and OF the animal life existing
there, and these, with other specimens,
we're turned over TO the naturalist
Bears. seals, and birds were carefully eX-
aClined-their stOmachs e>pecally-tO gain
all possible knowledge OF their habits and OF
she food obtained by them in the Arctic
regions. The soundings were made with
IN ordinary line, and specimens from the
bottom were brought up in sand-cup. A
hole was always kept open through the ice
sor that purpose"
In answer to a question, witness said
q AT the time we entered the ice-pack
Wrangel Land was estimated TO be about
one hundred miles distant TO the north and
west" Witness was asked 10 state all that
ne knew OF the events of June 18th and
18th attendant upon
IKE LOSS OF THE JEANETTE.
Answer: 81 was convalescent at the
time, and went on deck at Z. NJ. June
10Th for an hours exercise. The weather
was clear and pleasant, and there was a
light breeze from the northeast. The ship
hay secured to the ice on her starboard side,
and. rs remember, she was headed little
east Of south. The ice on her port side
had opened on the previous day, and was
about 200 yards distant, with smooth
wafer between it and the ship. There
were no connected leads at the time
through which the ship could have navi-
gated, but in the vicinity there were
Il number OF patches OF water. like
ponds in the ice. The men went ont TO
hunt as usual. About L. NJ. noticed
the Ice on the port-beam commenced 10
move towards the ship. II was immedi-
Ateiy reported to the captain by the man on
watch, and the captain came on deck. He
ordered the hunters TO be recalled, and
ahey returned one by one to the shin. the
last reaching her about 3 L. NJ. The ice
nj that time was in contact with the shin.
End she was heeling from fifteen to twenty
Pegrees to starboard, with heavy pressure
lnder her port-bllge. The captain was on
She bridge giving orders about the boats.
provisions, &c. All hands were on deck
during The first pressure the shin was
forced astern, and when the pressure relax.
odshe fell back into her original place. The
pressure was very heavy, and gave forth
a kissing, crunchng sound. Several times
The pressure was relaxed and the shin
rigbted. About $40 L. NJ. Machinist Wal
Ter Lee reported the ice coming through
the starbOard coal-bunker, and the captain
gave the order Lower away to the men |
uho had been previously stationed at the |
boats falls. Al that moment Mr.. Melville