4: CKUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 



throughout, and of amazing strength. Her sides are formed 

 of an outer sheathing of four inches of greenheart, on top of 

 four inches of oak, covering heavy oak timbers, with an inside 

 lining of three inches ; the space between the inner and outer 

 skins and the timbers is solidly filled with rock-salt, so that the 

 sides of the ship are practically eighteen inches thick in all 

 parts where a contact with the ice is expected. The bow is 

 further reinforced by a heavy sheathing of iron plates, and 

 inside it is backed with deadwood, giving it a thickness of eight 

 feet. The Neptune is of 465 tons net register, and has engines 

 of 110 nominal horse-power. This means that the ship 

 will carry about 800 tons of coal and cargo, and that her 

 engines will develop about 550 indicated horse- power; suffi- 

 cient to drive the loaded ship at the rate of eight knots an hour. 

 The engines, unlike most of the whaling and sealing ships, are 

 placed amidships, while the vessel is rigged as a three-masted 

 schooner, with low masts and little sail power. 



Early in June, 1903, I had the honour to be appointed, by 

 the Honourable Mr. Prefontaine, the Minister of Marine and 

 Fisheries, to the command of the expedition to Hudson bay and 

 northwards, on board the Neptune. I received instructions to 

 proceed immediately to Halifax, to make necessary alterations 

 to the ship, and to purchase all the provisions and outfit 

 required for a two-years' voyage in the Arctics. 



The ship which only had accommodation for a small 

 crew was in the same state in which she had returned from 

 the spring sealing voyage. After a thorough cleaning, carpen- 

 ters and machinists were put aboard, and the work of alteration 

 rushed day and night. A bridge-deck, covering the boiler and 

 engine, was erected, with a small chart-house upon it. Altera- 

 tions were made to the after cabin, and a new saloon and 

 staterooms, for the use of the scientific staff, were made 

 between-decks, forward of the main hatch. The remainder of 



