2 CHALLENGER 



launched on ist June, 193 1, by Miss Addison, daughter of Dr. 

 Addison, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, in the pres- 

 ence of the Hydrographer of the Navy. 



She was not allowed to take the waters gracefully in the normal 

 manner, but unromantically floated on the slowly rising waters of 

 a dry dock, and as the bottle of champagne was broken on her 

 bows, towed away by an undignified tug. Later she entered dry 

 dock again for final fitting out. 



Lieutenant- Commander E. H. B. Baker was appointed to 

 Challenger about the middle of 1931 to 'stand-by', as it is called. 

 This officer assists the dockyard officers with the siting of many 

 of the minor fittings, boat hoisting arrangements, ship's com- 

 pany's amenities and numerous other items which can be much 

 improved with the advice of a sea-going officer. A boatswain was 

 appointed to assist Baker, the Engineer Officer having been 

 appointed earlier. 



These three officers were standing on the deck as the water 

 was let into the dry dock to float the completed ship. The water 

 rose towards the ship's water-line and then slowly above it. The 

 wooden shores supporting the ship on the starboard side floated 

 clear but it was obvious to the officers on the deck that the 

 shores on the port side were still under great pressure; then, 

 suddenly, there was a rending and crashing sound as the port side 

 shores splintered and broke as the ship heeled quickly over to 

 port. The heavy work boxes belonging to the dockyard workmen 

 which had been stacked on deck slid dowoi with a terrifying 

 clatter, and the small group of officers found themselves alone 

 on a deck sloping at about 12 degrees. 



There had been no one of importance on the dockside to see 

 the second launching of the Challenger, but very soon the Admiral 

 Superintendent of the Dockyard and many other 'brass hats' and 

 senior dockyard officers were mustering around the dockside, to 

 see the distressing sight of a brand new vessel lying afloat in the 

 dock with a heavy list to port. She had compelled men of 

 importance to witness her final launching. 



Some miscalculation or some departure in construction from 

 the plans had caused this instability, and many tons of ballast 

 had now to be placed in the bottom of the ship to make her 

 stable. Those who had doubted her suitability for her work felt 



