892 APPENDIX. 



APPENDIX I. 



Report of the Court of Inquiry convened at the Navy Department, 

 Washington, D. C, by Virtue of an Order signed by the Hon. Wil- 

 liam E. Chandler, Secretary of the Navy, to Investigate the Cir- 

 cumstances of the Loss of the Exploring Steamer Jeannette. 



Commodore William G. Temple, United States Navy, president ; Master 

 Samuel C. Lemly, United States Navy, judge-advocate. 



February 12, 1883'. 



Ix conformity with a joint resolution of the Congress, approved Au- 

 gust 8, 1882, and in compliance with the orders of the honorable Sec- 

 retary of the Navy, dated September 29, 1882, the court of inquiry 

 has diligently and thoroughly investigated — 



The circumstances of the loss in the Arctic seas of the exploring steamer 

 Jeannette, and of the death of Lieut.-Commander George W. De Long, and 

 others of her officers and men. 



The court has also carefully inquired — 



Into the condition of the vessel on her departure, her management up to 

 the time of her destruction, the provisions made and plans adopted for the 

 several boats' crews in their leaving the wreck, the efforts made by the va- 

 rious officers to insure the safety of the parties under their immediate charge, 

 and for the relief of the other parties, and into the general conduct and mer- 

 its of each and all the officers and men of the expedition. 



And the court transmits herewith its proceedings, the testimony 

 taken, and after mature deliberation reports that the following facts 

 are deemed established by the evidence adduced : — 



First. As to l * the condition of the vessel on her departure." 



The Jeannette was originally her Britannic Majesty's ship Pandora, 

 and was purchased from the British government in April, 1875, by 

 Sir Allen W. Young, who made two voyages in her to the Arctic re- 

 gions, and who finally sold her to Mr. James Gordon Bennett in 1877. 



By an act of Congress approved February 27, 1879, she was accepted 

 under certain conditions by the United States government for the pur- 

 pose of making further explorations in the Arctic regions, and although 

 the weight of the evidence shows that she was not especially adapted in 

 strength or model for that kind of navigation, the fact that an expe- 

 rienced Arctic explorer had voluntarily made two cruises in her to the 

 Arctic seas sustains the judgment and care shown in her selection 

 when last purchased. 



The vessel was strengthened as much as practicable at the navy-yard, 



