The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-02-20
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS
THE JEANETTE INVESTI-
CATION.
RepSrG of the Congressional
Committee.

COMMUNION
Washington, 19.-The Jeonnctte court
of inquiry reports the following facts 90
deemed established by the evidence adj |
duced concerning the circumstances of
the loss of the JeGH7lette and the death |
of belong and others of her of1cers and
men. Although the weight Of evidence
shows that the Jeanette wss not
especially adapted In strength or model
for arctic exploration, the fact that an
experienced explorer made two cruises
in her in arctic seas sustained the judg-
ment aud care shown in her selection.
When last purchased she was siren 9Th
ened and improved and the condition
of the vessel on her departure from San
Francisco wAS good and satisfactory to
hsr officers asd crew, except that she
was unavoidably deeply loaded, defect
which corrected itself by the eonsump-
ton Of coal, provision and stores. The
evidence relating to the management Of
the Jeanette up to the time Of the loss
shows the chances OF reaching WranRel
leland were sufficiently good to justify
the commander in attempting to reach
| it rather than return to some southern
port and pass its winter in idlsRess. Had
| he done otherwise than he did he might
fairly have been thought wanting in the
high qualities necessary to the explorer.
| Throughout the expedition every op-
portunily was improved for gaining
| scientific information, and three islands
we're discovered, two Of which were
visited, explored and taken possession of
in the name of the United States. In the
management Of the JeGnnetts up to the
time Of her desertion, Commander De
Long by his foresight and prudence pro-
vided measures to meet emergencies and
enforce wise regulations. The fact Of the
ship having passed the second winter in
the ice without the appearance of scurvy
on board attests the excellence of the
sanitary arrangements adopted and re-
fleets great credit upon surgeon
Amber. As to the circum-
stances Of the loss Of the vessel,
the court attaches no blame 10 any off,
Ger or man, and the reports say the pro-
visions made and plans adopted for the
several bost.' crews upon their leaving
the wreck were judicouS. as it is shown
that ninety days after the obstruction of the
Jeanette, the officers and men we're in
fair condition, notwithstanding their
terrible journey. The story of the re-
treat from the vessel with the accom-
panying suffering, disappointments, dan
gers, difficulties and delays; the death of
belong and his companions, and the
subsequent discovery of their dead
bodies, is recited at considerable length,
and the conclusion is reached that every
thing possible was done by various Off
GERS to insure the safety of the parties
under their immediate charge, and for
tha relief of other parties. A list Of the
officers and crew Of the jeanette is given,
showing their assignment to the boats on
the retreat, and their final fate or 6ispe-
sition. The general conduct and merits
of each and all officers and men Of the
expedition is summed up as follows :
There is conclusive evidence, aside from
the trivial difficulties such as occur on
shipboard, even under the most favorable
circumstances, and which had no inhu-
ence in bringing about the disaster Of the
expedition, and no pernicious effect upon
its general conduct, that every officer
and man so conducted himself that the
court finds ne occasion to impute
censure to any mem Der Of the party. In
view, then of the long and dresry mono
tony of the cruise, the labors and pri-
vations encountered, the disappointment
consequent upon failure, the important
results and uncertainty Of their fate, and
apart from the natural desire to tread
lightly on the graves Of the dead, the
general conduct Of the persons Of the ex-
petition seems to be marvel of cheer
fulness, good fellowship and mutual
endurance. The constancy and enGur-
ance with which they met the hardshipl
and dangers that beset them entitle them
to great praise Besides the mention al.
ready made, however, special common.
dalton Is due to Lieutenant belong, 70!
the high qualities displayed by him il
the conduct of the expedition; to Chic
Engineer Melville for the zeal, energy
and professional aptitude, which elected
high enconiums from his commander,
and for his subsequent Hforts on the
Lena delta, and to Seamen NindermRn
and SweetmaD, fol services which in
duced their commander to recommend
them for medals of homer. Finally, il
should be stated that these are gsveIsl
SURVIVORS OF the Jeanette who have not
yet returned from Siberia, and whose
testimony might or might not modify the
conclusions set forth in this report.
The incidental sllusion to trivial diff
culties is the only thing in the repor
that can be considered as . reference tx
the alleged troubles between DeLpng
and Collins. In fact, the only mention
Of Collins is in the following words: Mr.
Jerome j. Collins, meteorological, died il
the Lena delts.''