The Evening critic., 1882-11-08
THE EVENING CRITIC.
THE JEANETTE INQUIRY.
Engineer Melville Continues His
Narrative To-day.

NUrrhttNc ho-Ouy.
Chief Engineer Melville resumed his nara
tive before the Jeanette Investigating Board
shortly before noon to-day. His statement
began with tho 1st OF Jannary, 1881, and was
confined mainly TO tho management OF the
chip up to the time OF her wreck. lie quite
fully
Corroborated Lieutenant Danen.
hover
on this matter, and said nothing that deyel.
oped any new point. His history OF the dis
covery Of new Islands was interesting, but not
at all new. recess was taken at noon.
After the Recess
Mr.. Melville resumed the thread OF his nara.
tive, having reached tho 1Ith OF June, 1881,
when tho leo around tho ship was breaking
up. He said that on that point he had nothing
Tho Judge.Advocate then asked: ''Did tho
boilers and engines meet the requirements of
Meiviile-"Yes, sir. They wero located so
as TO give better facilities for slowing COAL"
The witness then related the position Of the
ship after she entered tho leo pack Ho said
that when tho ship passed in to the westward
the Ice closed In behind hcr.
The Medical Examinations of the
Crew
were thorough. Tho commanding officer was
the first to bo examined Captain DO Long
having learned that some OF the officers OBJ
1ectcd to the examination sent for tho witness,
and said that as ho was the senior commits.
stoned oflcer, he wanted 10 consult with him
on the subject. Witness informed Do Long
that ho did not object to any reasonable ex-
animation. De Long then said, 'Al OF tho
younger officers should submit" The OK
nininntions wero subsequently conducted.
neglect on the part OF the officers In preparing
the ship for winter quarters, and In looking
after the safety of the health OF the crew.
In the first year OF the voyage, everybody
was cheerful and happy, but their spirits were
somewhat depressed during the second year.
Everybody was tired with each other. Stories
nd fnla Toll toll haI hoo, s,,l.
1t was during tho month of August of the frat
year that II became evident that they would
have to be out during the second winter. Wit
ness here gave tho amount Of coal consumed
daily, weekly and monthly, up to the time OF
entering the leo pack. There wero $50 tons
on hand when the Ice pack was reached.
During tho winter tho consumption OF coal
was about $50 pounds day, and In tho sum.
mer about ITO pounds day, There remained
ON board the day the ship went down about
15In tons Of coal. The witness said that In tho
winter of 1870 tho commanding oflcer had
told him that he mad overheard adverse
criticism, and for that reason told the witness
that tho ship was put into tho pack for the
purpose OF reaching Wrangel Land; that the
season was still early, and there was a prospect
that
The Fall Gales Would Break Up the
Pack.
go that they would have no difficulty In reach
Ing the land; that II was impossible In tho
Arctic Ocean TO reach any point without en-.
countering the pack Ice. Had never con-
versed much with the commanding ofIlcer
concerning the voyage prior to entering tho
leo pack, but the latter consulted him fire.
quently afterward. Did not remember lever
having heard De Long express any regret OF
having put the ship into the pack, nor OF hav-
Ing any conversation with him in which such
regret might have been expressed.
In the matter OF pursuing game tho witness
said that II was not customary for the men to
hurry of from tho ship without first securing
the permission OF tho commanding officer.
The lead poisoning of many of the crew In tho
spring OF 1881 tho witness thought was caused
by the use OF inferiorly manufactured tin
plates and boxes In which canned goods were
packed. The Jeannetto could not have gotten
clear Of the ice.pack on the evening OF Septem.
ber 16, 1870. The of1lcers mess consisted of
the commanding ofIcer, Chipp Danenhower,
Passed Assistant Surgeon Amber, Newcomb,
Collins, Dunbar and himself.
The court thcn, at 40 O'Clock, adjourned
until tomorrow.