THE NEW SHIP 



are refitted and the surveying officers draw the fair charts from 

 the data collected during the past season. In Home waters, the 

 season usually commences about ist April and the removal of 

 funnel covers from surveying ships is as much a sign that spring 

 has arrived in a dockyard as the note of the first cuckoo in the 

 countryside. 



So Challenger was to start her first season in April and in 

 January Captain A. L. Jackson took over command from Baker, 

 who once again became the First Lieutenant and went ahead with 

 his preparations for the coming season. Like all good First 

 Lieutenants he kept his eye open and acquired little things for 

 the ship which might otherwise have benefited no one. The old 

 battleship Marlborough was being stripped at Portsmouth prior to 

 being broken up, so it was only sensible to become friendly with 

 the nightwatchman on board her, and soon the wardroom of 

 Challenger was embellished to the extent of a fine mahogany table 

 and a fitted sideboard. But perhaps the acquisitions of the 

 Challenger did not go quite unnoticed by authority. 'Good 

 morning, Number One,' said the Inspector of Dockyard Police. 

 'That fine spar there is for the Royal Yacht. I thought I had better 

 tell you, as I have heard Challenger requires a lower boom.' 



The most vital information on an Admiralty chart is the depth 

 of water ; thus the taking of soundings is the most important part 



Leather mark to be ^io<.e 



■inch to bring soundmg 

 lead up to lower boom . 



Somerville sounding gear 



