Warmth And Comfort In Endeavour

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29984, 20 November 1962, Page 20

Warmth And Comfort In Endeavour

New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND. Nov. 19. Warmth, comfort, and modern styling in living quarters provide the keynote aboard tihe new’ H.M.N.Z.S. Endeavour, which arrived at Auckland this morning. The Endeavour is a former 2000-ton American tanker, which, during the last three months, has been specially fitted out and modified in San Francisco as an Antarctic supply ship for the United States Antarctic operation.

In the wardroom and chiefs’ and petty officers' messes and on the mess decks settees and seats are upholstered in foam rubber Officers and petty officers take their ease in contem-porary-style walnut easy chairs. In ail living quarters except the mess decks electric imitation log fires burn in brick fireplaces and chim-ney-pieces.

Externally, the ship has been strengthened to stand up to the icc. Internally, bulkheads ac d deckheads have been specially insulated against cold, and warm air is piped throughout. The ship's captain (Commander J. Lennox-King) said t.he help and co-operation in the San Francisco shipyard, where the large-scale modification had been carried out. could not have been better and the members of the ship's company thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the United States. The Endeavour will be fitted with more eqiiipme’’.’ at the Devonport naval base before sailing south on December 10. She will carry, in addition to her 60 officers and men. 14 scientists, for whom two laboratories have been built into the ship In her holds, the Endeavour will take diesel off, jet fuel, aviation spirit and machinery to repiemish the American bulk store at McMurdo Sound. She will make two trips to the Antarctic before the summer seasons ends in March.