Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1883-02-19
Complete EXhon6ratiOn Of De-
Long and Party by the
Court Of inquiry,
Programme Of the Republicans
for the Remaining Days
Of Congress.
No Prospect Of the Passage
Of the Tariff Bill This
Session.
Items OF Interest fro m the National
Capital.
CAPITAL NOTES.
Special Dispatches TO TBH Ben.

S<AN &<AA kNSA1S'
Special Dispatches TO TBH BKa
THE JEANETTE INQUIRY.
WASHINGTON, February 18.--The
Jeanette court of inquiry reports the
following facts as deemed established
by evidence adduced conce rning the
clicumstances of the loss of the Jean
nette and death of DeLong and others
of her officers and men Although
the weight of the evidence shows the
Jeannette was not especially adapted
in strength or model for arctic exp!or.
alton. The fact that an experiment
explorer had made two cruises In her
to the arctic seas, sustains the judg.
ment and care shown In her selection.
When last purchased she was strength
ened and improved, and the condition
of the vessel On her departure from
San Francisco was good and sstisfao
tory, her officers, Screw (excspt that
she was unavoidaoIy deeply loaded, a
defect which corrected Itself by the
consumption of coaD, provisions and
stores. Evidence relating to the man
agement of the Jeanette up to the
time of the loss, shows that the
chances of reaching Wrangle island
were sufficiently good to justify the
commander in attempting to reach it,
rather than To return to some southern
port to pass the winter in idleness.
Had he done other rwise than he did he
might fairly beeu thought wanting In
the high qualities necessary to ex.
plorers. Through the expedition
every opportunity was improved for
gaining scientiio information; three
islands were discovered, two
of which were visited, ex-
plored and taken possession of In
the name of the United States In
the management Of the Jeanette up to
the time OF her detention, Commander
DeLong, by his foresight and pru.
dence, provided measures to meet
emergencies and enforce wise regula
tions. The fact of the ships having
passed second winter in the ice with.
out the appearance Of scurvy on board,
attests the excellence Of sanitary ar.
rsngements adopted and RI fleets great
credit upon Surgeon Amber, as to the
circumstances of the loss of the vessel.
The court attaches no blame to any
officer or man and reports say the
provisions made and the plans adopt
ed for the safety Of the crews upor
their leaving the wreck were judicious
as it isuhown that ninety days after thu
| destruction ef the Jeanette, the offioeri
ard men were In fair condition, not
~ithsrsnding their terrible journey
The story OF the retreat from the yes
sci, with accompanying sufferiugs
disappolntments, dangers, difficulties
and delays, death of DeLong, and hi
companions, subsequent discovery o.
their dead bodies, is secured at con
siderable length and tho. conclusion
reached tnat rything possible wa
done by the various officers to inaurt
safety to parties under their immsd
ate charge and for the relief
OF other parties. A list o
officers snd crew of the Jeanett,
is given, showing their arrsr gemeu
to boats on the retreat and their fina
fate. The general conduct and merits
of each and all officers and men OF the
expedition Is summed up as follows
There is conclusive evidenc, that,
aside from trivial difficulties, such a.
occur on ships, even under the mos
favorable circumstances, which had n,
influence in brip G ing about disaster anc
no perniclous effect upon It's genera
condition, every officer and man st
conducted himself that the court find
no occasion to impute censure to any
member Of the party. 10 view, then
of the long dreary monotony of th'
cruise and the privations encountered
the disappointment consequent upor
want, the Important results, the uncer
tainty of their fate (and apart fcom ,
natural desire to tread lightly on thu
graves of the desd), the general con
duct and personnel of the expedition
seems to have been q marvel of cheer
fulneHE, good fellowship aud mutua
forbsarance, while the constancy ant
endurance with which they met hard
ships and dangers that beset then
entitle them to great praise
Besides mention already made, how
ever, special commendation is du
to De Long, for the high qualitle
displayed by him In the conduct Of tn,
expedition; to Chief Engineer Mel
vile, for zsal, energy and professional
aptitude which elicted high encom
iums from his commander and for hi
subsequent efforts on the Lena Delta
and to Seaman Ninderman and Sweet
man, for services which induced thei
commander to recommend them TO
medals of honor. Finally, it shoul
be stated there are several survivor
OF the Jeanette who have not yet re
turned frora Siberia, and whose testi
mony might or might not modify tn
conclusions set forth in this report
The incidental alluslon to trivial dill
ficulties is the only thing In the repol
that can be considered as reference
the alleged troubles between De Lon
and Collins.
THE TARIFF.
Upon expected early receipt by tn
!. house OF the tax and tariff bill no
, pending In the senate that measul
will be laid on the speakers table an
the problem which now gives rise to {
much speculation as to the means
! reaching 1t for action on senate amen,
l. Al