20 THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



Lieutenants DeLong and Chipp were officers of the U. S. 

 steamer Juniata on her northern cruise in search of the 

 crew of the lost Polaris. Mr. Melville was engineer of the 

 steamer Tigress when she went north on the same errand. 

 All of the crew were volunteers, selected with great care 

 from many applicants. Ninderman was a member of the 

 Polaris ice-drift [tarty. 



A complimentary reception was given by the California 

 Academy of Sciences to the officers of the Jeannette, a feu- 

 days before their departure. The meeting was largely at- 

 tended, and many eminent scientists of the Pacific coast were 

 present. In response to an invitation to address the audi- 

 ence, Lieutenant DeLong spoke as follows : 



k ' When the officers of the expedition which I have the 

 honor to command were invited to be present this evening 

 to listen to the discussion of the Arctic problem, I replied for 

 them and myself that nothing would give us greater pleas- 

 ure than to be present. At the same time, however, I asked 

 that we might be excused from any active participation in the 

 discussion until after our return from within the Arctic circle. 

 This humble peculiarity of ours, it would seem, is not to be 

 tolerated ; and however unfit I am to reply with any degree 

 of propriety to the very kind remarks that have been made 

 to us this evening, it seems that it is one of the duties that 

 is forced upon the commander of the expedition, as well as 

 a great many other duties. As far as this part of the expe- 

 dition is concerned, there is really very little to say. By the 

 act of Congress it has been placed under the charge of naval 

 officers, and it has, since the passage of the act of Congress, 

 received the fostering care and encouragement of the Navy 

 Department. It is peculiar as being the first expedition fitted 

 out to penetrate the highest regions of the north byway of Ber- 

 ing's Straits. Ships have heretofore passed through Bering's 

 Straits, rounding Point Barrow, and going to the northward 

 to rescue and relieve Sir John Franklin ; but this is the first 

 purely polar expedition that has ever been despatched by 

 way of Bering's Straits. 



