New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-19
THE LOSS OF FTBEJEANNETTE
FINDINGS OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY.

Of the exploring steamer Jeanette aud Of the death OF
Lieutenant George w. De Long and others other officers
ami men,"
The Court has also carefully inquired "nto the condi
ton OF the vessel on her departure; her uD
to the time Of her destruction; the provisions and
plans adopted for the several boats crews on their eay-
ing the wreck the efforts BY the various officers 20
insure the safety Of the parties under their immediate
charges and for the relief OF the other pares and tho
general conduct and Of each all the officers
and men Of tho expe iton" And the Court transmits
herewith its proceedings the testimony taken and after
mature deberaOn, reports that the fo,own facts
deemed established by the evidence ad1ucei:
TIKI CONDITION OF THE Vessel
Firsf-As TO the condition Of the vessel on her de
porure."
The Jeanuee vas originally her Brfannlc Majesty'
ernmeut n Apr, 1879 by sir Allen W. Young vino made
two VOYAGES .n her % the Arctic regions and who in
act Of Congress. approved February II. go she
was accepted under certain conditions. by the
~ making further explorations IN the Arctic
regions, aud although inc weight OF evidence
n rem u OF mOjel for that kint of navgafio1. tho
iact u1ta1 eXreuenced Ar.tc Explorer haa y1.nltary
Judgment and shown in her selection wueu last
uaeh as practicable at the navy IarI. Marc
Island. CAL and such other additions and
adIpg oicer and tine condition Ot tl- jetnnetts
on Hcr departure from the poT Of san Francisco was
tJat SIZE was uuavo.dlblY deeply l0ldci defoe winch
connected with, corrected Itself b., tie consumption u
coal provisions ana stores.
MANACETNT OF THE EXPEDITION
Sse,nd-As % cher management up 70 the time Of
hsrl rlo4s."
The a,e4ea- O. The season when the Jeaunete sailed
ucc1outd hy ler search along the siberian coast under
ord"@ flom the Navy Dera ,le r.me" .ot .ot
,be conInander AT Great dadyaa.are on 6is meeting
with The pack ce early u september in ihe FcntY ot
the southwark and pass the winter theie ln ulehe's,
hu- -lcrfcinga a chance Of pushing his researcues %
] ,,r ,r l5 NV go cue tic Vcs.oI fhrHs 70 Wrangel
Taud-then crrOueOu-v supposed 10 oe ar2e coniens
-.elges Tho chances 0f accomplishing this latter alter
nat so were sufficiently good. az the time 20 Jn'Iy MN
might fairly have been hOught wanting ln the - qla-
t.- necessary 'or an eXulorcr Tn, temp unlo.lu-
pack within less th1u tHO month, after her departure
FROM san Francisco. from which size was no. recassd
until her dos-ruction more than tHenfy-one months
t,l and bsr neonio were al tunes threatened with
'I.,f dangers. Especially was her destruction rnni-
mont on nuuav t0 1850. when she sprung eak rom
ton every opnortuuIy wa, improved for gaining scien-
S niornstion ana astronomical obser-
atoue temperature and density u the sea water, and
souuiiles we're taken and pre.eryed; studies Of he
the bottom and such fauna aud hol could ne pro-
two Of which were visited explored and taken posses
III O in or tie United states.
The arrln .aments 10 abaEdon tie ship A. o moments
warming and TO guard against fire. were a hai could be
desired and evidence shows that In the management
Of tho Jeanette mp 20 ne ne OF Ier e5 & S.
tenant commander George ". De LonZ, ~ uS IOfe,yhb
AMI prudence pr viied measures 20 meet emergencies
and enforced wise regulations % malnta GsclPne 70
..cryc health. Iui to eucourafr cHeerlue0- among
,ae peoae was good with the exception n few ca'es
lf td-posoutus. the result o eau x chhei poFlsIous.
70, ~. NJ. lou Be the sanitary orange
and frafia
ta officer Passed Assistant sursson Ian " Aho,fr, ,
who throughout the expedition was lhdeiAl haDt A 1uS
performance Of his duties.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE Loss.
7zir8-As 70 "the circumstances Of the loss in the
Arcti, sens Of the exploring steamer Jeanette
The Jeanette was sunk June 49, ISL, from being
esafS By 9s 5S IN ea, 'aos ster aas "Sa
trouah.y on the pack zee since NepIenLtDett
lcr model might have been. or however strongly con-
,tructed and subjected 70 TIE same pressures s nose ~
curreI D. ihe Ieauuete' would have Deen ainl.lalya &
-h, was abandoned ia cool and orderly manner on me
OF June u and iouudered ABOUT a. i1 tns tsy
following aud the Court attaches no blame 70 any OcF
or t,r ler loss.
PROVISION FOR THE SAFETY OF THE MN
F,ott-As 20 the provisions made and plans adopted
for the several boats crews upon Their leaving 'hs
wreck"
foIe.,en and provided for, and when the emergency
everytling wa, prepared TO meet lt. The officers
aad n9 ~srS Sco 6tfed for the antpatod work boat
and proyison sledges had been provided. aud more
rom the vessel than could DO Transported on tho
retreat The party beins tnas thrown upon the &C. u,o
days were passed In errangnE for the long Journey 20
ths land aud the provisions made ana plans adOpted
lot w. as i, s shown that ninety dsys after the
esfructun Of the Jeanette the officers and nen were
In far condition, Notwithstanding tneir terrible Journey
THE RETREAT FROM TIE WRECK.
r,qJ-As TO "the efforts made by tue various officers
TO insure the safety OF the parties uude their immediate
- fnn rh her uar
Tho retreat began on the 18th Of Juna aud during the
ensuing tnrce months the entire ships company re-
named together under the direction OF thr commander
r9rIinr against obstacles which required indomsDlo
lucs ami perseverance 10 overcome cOmpe LED % dfaS
broen aud shifting fields OF ice, at lines ferying
nom over the water spaces, ana oHeh carried ,E
storms fog, aud snow; there seems - baye been no pre-
caution neglected wbicn would tend to lns1re ther
s1fetv During this tme well 10 upon oJher Oc;s-
sions the conduct OF lee pilot Dunbar, boitswan Coo
and fireman Bartlett eicted welideserseo Gonnsns ss
tions The nal plan of retrea wa to make SOUTH
er course resumaby t. reach tue open att AZ soon
possible, and thence ny way 1I 'IS esrest re nont AZ
b,cn n was supposed that relief could 0e 00alaed'
I,i Ih he ~ commeader found after ne. by ob.eryaon
I & tb crrenf was sweeping them rapidly to the
N rhward nd westward that their ao0r was ahDsi lu
ap ari aaI s"o Of west lie wisely refrainod dis
conragng the party by announcing TINS iSSc,
and changed his course SO as to cross tnis
Current at right angles, and get beyond its
influence $ soon as practicable AFTER twenty tnree
iays OF toll and xiey, Bennett Island was discovered
yrr, they landed and occupied eight days IN resting
md making necessary repairs TO boats In trying 10
ea on this "a and the party suffered many dsappolnt-
and encoun cred Unexpected dangers difficulties
md delays overcoming very snort distsnoe OWING 70
ne swlf currents aud movements OF the broken Ice
,ose to further delay from August 10 70
August 20 was aterward forced upon tue psrty oy tho
condition OF the Ice which rendered progress linpos-
blc. ~. -. p..oa,.
Meantime II had been deemed expedient at Bsnne.s
Island in order 10 food Tor the men, t1st ABOUT u
n the doos snould be killed as thev were no longer
needed 10 drag the seds and it was considered
% leave them there starve, aud aiterward All ou,
n them escaped on the ice. but stu IL wss ivuuu
necessary TO reduce the allowance o. tSs oSr1sy on
.ant.nbgr 10 tbe three boats were sepafa ca ~ ss
II wind when approaching the siberian Coast Az s d
iIstancs of about ninety miles 10 tle horn"sIu
ND stSard OF the Lena Delta, and 70 uttper coru
xss OF the second cutter party, ou - , h, mn
nlPp VIC II NAV safely be assumed tina he did