The San Francisco call., 1896-06-16
Examination Into the Genuine
ness of the "Jeannette"
Relics.
VARIOUS EVIDENCE PRESENTED
The ''Fram's" Expedition Declared to
Be Warranted and It's Return
Probable.

The printed report of the committee ap-
pointed by the Council of the Geographic
cal Society of the Pacific to investigate
the genuineness of the relics of the ill
fated Jeanette, which sailed from San
Francisco on July 8, 1879, and foundered
in the Arctic Ocean in June of the follow
ing year, has been issued.
In the report of the committee. which
consisted of George Davidson and Henry
Lund, many interesting data are given con-
cerning Arctic currents.
The Investigations Just completed were
due to the interest manifested in this City
in regard to the relics. inasmuch as DIR.
Nansen's theory of polar currents was
based principally upon the finding of the
Jeanette relics in 1884. The further fact
that some of the relics belonged to San
Francisco gives them additional local in
terest.
Doubt has been cast upon the relics
being genuine by DR.. w. H. Dali of the
United States Geological Survey and DIR.
Emil Bessels. The latter declared that he
had evidence tending to support his
hypothesis that some person or persons
unknown had in spirit of boyish levity'
perpetrated the hoax OF placing the
relics on an ice-foe and thereby 'produc-
ing sensation in the fleet
DR.. Dali in his conclusions as to the
relics stated that 1.-The proof that the relics
were the result of a hoax is not complete,
and, in the nature of things, unless the
parties actually concerned shall admit it,
is never likely to be completed"
General Greedy also doubted the genu-
ineness of the relics. In the National
Geographic Magazine of March, 1896, he
wrote that "the drift relics found on the
west coast of Greenland were relied upon
by Nansen's practical proof that his theory
of drift voyage was correct" Greedy
further declares that ''Chief Engineer Mel
vile, the man best qualified to speak about
the Jeannette, denied at the time their
genuineness."
General Greedy further says that he
publicly called Nansen's attention to
this question, which for the first time
seems to have created doubts in his mind.
Nansen made efforts to find the relics for
yerification, but they had disappeared in
toto.h
After mentioning various Arctic drifts,
the report takes up the evidence concern
ing the Jeanette relics. While the jean
nette was fixed in the ice In the vicinity of
Wrangell Land, stores, clothing instru-
ments, ETC., were placed on an adjoining
foe. Very little of this was taken along
when the retreat over the ice was COM
menced. Mrs. Emma de Long (vol. II,
page 578) says there were 10 pieces left on
the foe after the five or six days spent in
preparation of the sleds boats and stores.
The retreat was commenced over the ice
June 49, 1881.
In June, 1884, Governor Carl Lytzen OF
the Colony OF Julian ehaab, South Green
land, wrote to the Danish Consul at New
York: 81 hereby take the liberty 10 re-
quest the Consulate to inform the editors
OF the New Y York Herald that on the 18th
inst. three Greenlanders picked up on an
ice foe some effects and some partly torn
papers belonging the American Arctic
'Jeannette' expedition"
Upon receipt of this information in this
City various Investigations were made
the latest being those just completed by
Messrs. Davidson and Lund. Ali avail
able evidence was considered, although
the relics themselves had disappeared
Mr.. Lund, In a recent letter, said in re-
gard to the lost relics: "In. June, 1894,
met Commodore Otto Irminger of the
Geographical Society of Copenhagen and
in our conference he informed me that
much to the regret of the society and all
parties concerned it was impossible TO
find any of the relics. They had been
given into the charge of a member whom
they considered perfectly safe custodian,
who had placed them in the garret of his
dwelling. This person died and when
some time afterward other people moved
into the house they had il cleaned up
and the rubbish removed by scavengers
to the dump hills.
Among this rubbish were the relics so
unsuggestive that any one unacquainted
with their history would naturally con-
slider them of no value. The Society of
Copenhagen only missed them some time
after when our society was seeking to pur-
chase some of them. 1t was then too late
to recover them and Commodore Irminger
said nothing remained but TO express pro-
found regret"
The report of the committee concludes
as follows:
After carefully weighing these state
ments and recalling the mental and physi-
cal characteristics of DR.. Nansen and the
brave comrades and men who cheerfully
accompany him, and the special fitness of
the Fran to encounter ice dangers, the
committee places upon record its convic-
tions = that the present expedition was
fully warranted and that it will return sue
of11I