R.R.S. 'DISCOVERY 11" 85 



The engine-room casing is entered by steel doors, one on each side. The after end of 

 the casing is in the thwartship line of the two blocks of side houses and is partitioned off 

 to form, on the starboard side, a companion way to the petty officers' mess, and on the 

 port side a chamber containing the refrigerating plant. 



AFTER DECK (Plates IV, V) 



Abaft the engine-room casing, and separated from it by the thwartship alleyway con- 

 taining the entrance door to the petty officers' mess, is a large steel house containing the 

 main trawling winch (Plate XI). This winch, which is provided with two drums carrying 

 1000 and 5000 fathoms of wire rope, has been transferred from the R.R.S. 'Discovery' 

 and has already been described,^ but in the new vessel it was fitted with new ball- 

 bearing traversing-gear leads and with steam controls on both sides of the house. The 

 ends of the main shaft project through the house on either side and are provided with 

 warping drums. The winch house and winch position are specially arranged to ensure 

 that the operator, facing aft, has a full view of the operations and can give immediate 

 response to signals. The after end of the house can be closed when required by large 

 steel folding doors. A small auxiliary drum, with chain drive from the main shaft of the 

 winch, stands just abaft the winch house on the starboard side. 



The boat deck terminates in line with the after end of the winch house, and the rest 

 of the after deck is open. The centre portion is occupied by the after hatch. This is of 

 similar construction to the fore hatch ; but only the after portion has a movable cover, 

 and the fore part is fitted with watertight skylights, providing ventilation and lighting 

 for the petty officers' mess. The movable after section gives access to the after hold. 



Midway between the after hatch and the winch house is the mainmast, carrying a 

 3 -ton derrick on its fore side for hoisting and lowering the motorboat, and a gaff for the 

 free-footed mainsail on the after side. This gaff is also used to work the after hatch. 

 A winch and davit, similar to those on the forecastle head, but used for working vertical 

 plankton nets, are placed abreast the winch house on the port side (Plate XI, fig. i). 



Fairleads for the trawl warps and the usual bollards and mooring pipes are fitted. 



The poop (Plate XII, fig. i) is raised only 3 ft. above the upper deck and is approached 

 by wide ladders on either side. In the middle line, about 6 ft. abaft the break of the 

 poop, a powerful samson post is stepped, carrying a derrick capable of lifting 6 tons, 

 which will plumb 6 ft. beyond the taffrail. This is used for working heavy deep-sea nets 

 and trawls, and can also be used on the fore side of the post if necessary. Two roller 

 fairleads are arranged, one on either side, in the bulwarks right aft, and for the rest the 

 poop is quite clear of obstructions, a great assistance in the rapid handling of trawls and 

 large tow-nets. 



The poop space is entered by a small circular torpedo hatch on the port side, and is 

 mainly occupied by the rudder-head, quadrant and steering engines, all of which are of 

 very heavy construction for Antarctic service. The forward port corner of the space is 

 divided off into a small lamp locker fitted with racks and oil tanks, and an open wooden 



1 Kemp, Hardy and Mackintosh, Objects, Methods and Equipment, Discovery Reports, i, pp. i6o, i6i. 



