GEORGE W. MELVILLE 189 



cally indispensable — when the /mnneWe sank fivehnii(h-c<l milrs 

 from the liena Delta. 



Lieutenant Danenhower being disabled and Lieutenant C'lii|i|) 

 sick, ]^e Long's main dependence was in his chief engineer, Mel- 

 ville, who was well, strong, energetic, and fertile in resources. 

 It is unnecessary to dwell on the dangers and hardships which 

 this unprecedented journey entailed on the members of this 

 party, which were met with fortitude, courage, and energy that 

 made its successful issue one of the most notable efforts in the 

 history of man, overcoming obstacles almost insurmountable. 

 It is only to be said that in this fearful journey for life Melville, 

 as the right arm of De Long, was full of energy and ex})edients. 

 Such was De Long's confidence in Melville, that, when the three 

 boats left ]>ennet island, De Long placed the whale-boat entirely 

 under his orders, although Danenhower was i)lace(l therein. 

 This unusual step was fully justified by the events, as Melville's 

 boat's crew was the only one that was saved, C'hipp perishing 

 at sea and De Long in the Lena Delta. When De Long's des- 

 perate condition became known, it was Melville's heroic spirit 

 and personal daring that ventured the unsuccessful autunnial 

 searcli and later, in the brighter but more fearful polar spring, 

 discovered the remnant of De Long's unselfish crew and secured 

 for them a Christian burial. Congress, in 1890, promoted him 

 fifteen numbers "as a recognition of his meritorious services in 

 successfully directing the party under his command after the 

 wreck of the Arctic exploring steamer Jeanneltc, and of his per- 

 sistent efforts, through dangers and hardships, to find and assist 

 his commanding officer and other members of the ex})e(lition 

 before he himself was out of peril." 



In 1883 Melville volunteered to lead a relief jiarty fur the res- 

 cue of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, which had that 

 autumn retreated under orders to Cape Sabine, and when the 

 government rejected a proposition, the heroic Melville sailed in 

 the expedition of 1884 commanded by Cai)tain Schley, and was 

 one of the first officers to reach the living remnant of the expe- 

 dition, and thus closed with credit his service afloat. 



Selected in 1887 as Chief Engineer of the Navy with the rela- 

 tive rank of Commodore, he has discharged the important duties 

 of this ofiice with such professional fitness and administrative 

 ability as to merit universal praise. During this period the 

 United States Navy has l)een sul)stantially reorganized and with 

 a degree of success that has enlisted the admiration of the world. 



