New-York tribune., 1912-03-18

uIeu at MS nome mere to-day OF paralysis.
He was national commander Of the Loyal
Legion at the time Of his death and was
a noted authority on Arctic exploration.
as well as engineering and naval affairs.
He will be buried Wednesday at Laurel
Hill Cemetery, this city
George Wallace Melville was born I'm
New York on January 10. 1S4l. His father
was a direct descendant OF the dIstln-
gulshed Scotch family OF that name and
was man OF tremendous vigor and
gigantic build. lie was 6 feet inches tall
and powerful in proportion. and the trait
was inherited by his sons. One Of Admiral
Melvilles brothers was feet T. another
feet and he himself was only shade
under feet.
As boy he was educated ia the public
schools and at once began to display a
marked interest I'm mechanics. He accord
ingly entered and was graduated from the
Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. and mme
diately entered the engineering works OF
James Binns In East Brooklyn.
On July 29, 1851, when only twenty years
and six months Od-ninety days after the
Civil War began-he became an officer OF
the engineer corps Of the navy. Although
only a junior officer, he saw much active
service. For a time lie was on the side
wheel steamer Michigan. cruising on the
Great Lakes and was then transferred TO
the sloop-of-war Dakota, OF the North At
lantic fleet. With her he served at the
shelling Of Lambert's Point and the capt
ure Of Norfolk, Va, she acting guard
ship during the night and morning OF the
destruction of the Merrlmac off Craney ISL
and. I'm Norfolk Harbor. He was then with
the fleet that took part in the clearing OF
the James River, later with the feet that
covered the retreat OF McBellan's army to
liarrisons Landing, and after Farragut
had made his brilliant passage up the Miss |
issippi River carried dispatches to the ao
miral. Shortly afterwsrd he contracted
typhoid fever and was sent TO the hospital
at Key West
After brilliant service throughout the
Civil War, Admiral Melville was attached
TO various ships for the next five years. |
and then began his remarkable series OF |
Arctic expeditions which were destined to
make of him an international figure.
In 1870 Captain Hall, the explorer made
his last voyage TO the Arctic and died
there. On the return his ship, the Polaris, |
was crushed IN the ice and part OF the |
crew abandoned the ship and took refuge
on an Ice doe, on which they drifted 1,Sv9 |
miles before they were picked up. When |
the news of the probable loss Of these men |
reached the United States the ship Tigress |
was chartered to 20 10 the rescue, and |
Melville volunteered TO 20 as her engineer |
officer. The crew were picked up by q
whaIer. and the Tgress returned after she
had received news OF the rescue.
The Jeanette Expedition.
II was not until six years later, however.
that the great tragedy of the North oc-
CURED, In which Melville became the chief
actor. This was the long TO be remem-
bered jeanette expedition.
Through the lberality OF James Gordon
Bennett the jeanette. q bark rigged steam
er Of 40 tons. was fitted out for polar serv-
ice. She was commanded by Lieutenant
George W. De Long, serving with whom
were Melville, two lieutenants. q surgeon
and twenty-eght others, comprising the
scientific STAFF and crew The party left
san Francisco on July s, 1879. and early
in September encountered Ice short dis
tance northwest Of the straits.
From that time on the jeanette was
never free from the foe which held her.
She drifted steadily 10 the westward for
four months until she became caught In
the ice and was started in the seams. For
weeks all hands worked night and day al
the pumps and II was not until Melville
connected them up with the engines and
began to do the work by steam power that
the constant thrush OF water was checked
and the danger temporarily averted,
For eighteen months more the Jeanette
drifted and had TO be pumped continually.
although this process was fast eating up
the coal supply but on the early morning
stopped all necessity for further struggle
in the effort to keep the ship afioat The
ice which for thirty-six hours previous
had been violent In its action, suddenly
closed in, gripped the ribs Of the founder
ing Jeanette and crushed her. She began
to fiji. and sank al 4 o'clock the next
morning leaving the crew stranded on the
ice in midocean.
As Melville and De Long realized. they
were 800 miles from the Lena Delta,
the nearest possible hope Of succor; 80
miles from land OF any sort, with sew
eral sick men and but little food. The
party set out however, and marched 80
After rest Of about a week and d half,
with the Arctic winter setting In, the ex-
hausted men started southwark once more.
After five weeks of cold, wet and hunger.
with almost continuous marching the
party arrived on September II on the edge
Of the ice, with the open sea before them
and the delta only ninety miles away
MeIvile's Search for De Long.
The almost dying men were loaded into
the boats, which had been dragged over the
ice fields for 400 miles, and put out into
the sea. Before they had been away from
the ice for many hours complete darkness
settled, and the wind lashed the waves into
such a fury that the boat with Melvilles
men became separated from that Of Lieu
tenant De Long the latter never TO be
seen again in life. Melyille's party outlyed |
the gale and succeeded In reaching the
Lena River and a small Russian village
after journey which totalled in its wind
ings more than 2,200 miles. Then, just ~
the men were beginning TO regain some OF
their lost strength there came a message
from two Of De Longs men, who had be
come strayed from their commander and |
had crept out Of the north into a village |
few miles away. Melville went there talked |
with the men, and. although Oh the edge OF |
the great Russian road leading back to |
civilization and safety. turned back into |
the darkness and silence OF the winter |
Arctic 10 search for De Long, although he |
knew that the latter must have died.
Melville started out with two natives. two |
dog teams and five days food. and travelled
ba xUa a. nd