NEW RESEARCH SHIP

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 22, 21 December 1929, Page 8

NEW RESEARCH SHIP

DISCOVERY II LAUNCHED. ANTARCTIC INVESTIGATION. The Royal research ship, Discovery 11, was launched at Port Glasgow recently by Mrs Borley, wife of Mr J. 0. Borley, a member of the Discovery Committee. The vessel had her boilers and machinery on board, and was practically ready for trials. The ship was built by Messrs Ferguson Brothers, of Port Glasgow, at the order of the Crown agents for the colonies, to the design of Messrs Flannery, Baggallay, and Johnson, their consulting naval architects, and under their supervision. She is 232 ft over all, with a breadth of 30ft and a draught of 16ft when fully loaded, and is specially strengthened for resisting ice pressure. She is designed to attain a speed of 13 knots, and can steam 6000 miles at full speed and 9000 miles at economic speed. The Discovery II- replaces the R.R.S. Discovery, which has been lent on charter by the Falkland Isles Government for service in Sir Douglas Mawson’s expedition, and was due to sail for the Antarctic from London on December 7. She will be under the scientific leadership of Dr. S. W. Kemp, with Commander W. M. Carey. R.N., in executive command. Tho ship will carry a scientiffic staff of six, as well as eight officers and a surgeon. Her full complement' is 50. The Discovery II is to carry out an extensive programme of marine investigations, assisted by a smaller vessel, the R.R.S. William Scoresby, and a marine biological station at South Georgia, at which observations arc made on the whales brought in by one of tire whaling companies. The object of the investigations is to determine the effect of man’s operations on the stock of whales, and to account for the great natural fluctuations in abundance. To carry out her programme the Discovery II carries a very full equipment. For sounding she is equipped with a deep-water machine carrying five miles of piano wire, and with deep and shallow water echo-sounding apparatus of the latest Admiralty pattern. Three small winches provide tire means of obtaining temperatures and water samples, and smaller forms of oceanic life. A large winch, with reels carrying 1000 and 5000 fathoms of very heavy wire, is installed for use with large mid-water nets, dredges and trawls.