20 CRUISE OF THK STKA.MEIi COKWIN. 



the vt'ssc'l. All iiccoptf'd (ho situalion. iiotwillistaiidiiijj: llio Tact that some of thein coulfl have 

 sliippcfl on otiier vcsscd.s of the wlialin.n- Heel for the rciiiaiiulci' of the; season, hu<l they chosen. 



No distinction was made either in work or fnnd lietwccn the wrecked men and our own 

 crew, and every elfoi't was made to conti-iliiili' to 1 lie conifoi-t of the new-comers. Even tiie 

 ])riva,te stores of the Coririii'.s crew were liy my orch'rs shared equally among all. For a time 

 the men w'vve satistied with their lot, liut soon l)e,nan to show signs of dissatisfaction. Several 

 uintin(ms (Unnonstrations wei-e made hy them while they wei-(' on hoarrd. but as they wei-e 

 always met with ;i firm hand, sei-ious results were avoided. 



It gives me grt!at. pleasure to attest to Uw. jnanliness and humanity exhibited liy the ( 'oi-iriii'.s 

 crew daring tlie ti'ying oi-deal, each vying with the other in their en<h'avor to aid their unfort- 

 unale fellow-marinei's. Tlieii- food was shared cheerfull\, and some of tlieir clothing that 

 t-ould not !)(■ w'ell spared was given to tlie wrecked nun. ""Man's iiduimanity to mau" was 

 foi-cibly exenqdihed in the treatment they receivetl in return on the part of some of their bene- 

 liciaries. 



CONCLUSION. 



If is generally understood that the Conrin is to be relieved by the Bear for Arctic dniy. 

 It such a ciiange is contemplated, liefore it is nuuhi! I wouhl respectfully call tlie serious atten- 

 tion and coiisidiM-al ion of flie I )e]iartnii.'nt to the farid that nineteen feet of water, which 1 under- 

 sla.nd is th(^ di'augiit of the Bear, is altogether too grt'at to make her an effective cruiser on the 

 shore of tile Arctic Ocean. With such a draught, all effectiveness as a cruiser against contra- 

 liaud (rade and as an aid to vessels that nuglit l>et-ome stranded would lie seriously impaired if 

 nol totally destroyed. 



in my ojiinion a- greater draught than twelve or thii-teen feet would l)e a hindrance to effect- 

 ive service. The ( '(irir/ii has jierformeil this work during the last live yeiirs exceptionally well, 

 and, in my opiinon. she is admirably suited for the duty. It is true that when she has a large 

 nunilier of pi'opleou boai'd. as has been the case the i)ast two seasons, she is very much (U'owded, 

 but t he elticieiicy of the vessid as a cruiser is not at all impaired, the only inconvenience being 

 the ])ei-soual discomforts. It is I'easonable to su^ipose that this crowded condition of the vessel 

 will occur oidy occasion.-dly ; and any oliicer wouhl prefer an etficient vessel, even though 

 crowded, to one having the greater and more serious impediment of an overdraught. 



The new Rii.sli. being a larger vessel than the Coririii. has that single advantage over her, 

 and might be a very serviceable vessel for Ai'ctic duty; but it is not reasonable to suppose that 

 the Department would go to the unwarrante<l exj)ense of sheathing the new vessel an<l provid- 

 ing lier witli an ice-breaker when the Coririii is already so fitted. Even if the Bu.'ili was so 

 lirovided the oidy known ailvantage would be in larger quarters; and I am positive that she 

 cannot excel, if she can eijual, tlu; ( 'orifiii in combined sailing, steaming, and sea-going qualities. 



The necessity of having two vessels cruise on the Alaskan nortliw'est coa.st has been fre- 

 (punitly and strongly mentioned to (he Dejiartmeut. The water from the seal i.slands south, 

 around the Aleutian and Shnmagin groups, and also around Kodiak and Southeastern Alaska, 

 is bold and deep, and ca-n he navigated, so fai" as water is concerned, by vessels of the greatest 

 drauglit. and to uie it appears that the /Icar woidd be well a-<la]»ted for that duty. 



It must I Ii\i(ais to the Department that it is inqiossible for one vessel to cover the entire 



cruising ground in Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean, endn-acing as it does an extent of over seven 

 thousand ndles. 



Having cruised foi- a, nundiei- of yeai-s in every ])ortion of Alaska, fi'oni Sitka, to Point 

 iiai'row, and among all the islands. a,nd ser\ed on this <luty much longer than any otiier j)erson 



under th(^ Oovernment, I siiould understaml the n Is of the country in this respect; therefore 



the foregoing suggestions are made as a, nuitterof didy only, and with becoming deference and 

 hesitation. 



Very resiiectfidly, youi- obedient servant, 



Hon. Daniel Manninh;, 



Sccretarij of tlw 'rrea.suri/. W'a.'iliiin/loii, /). C. 



M. A. HEALY, 



Captain, U. S. E. M. 



