Antarctic Exploration.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 247, 17 November 1903, Page 4

Antarctic Exploration.

THE TERRA NOVA. The Terra Nova is described as a fine stamp of vessel, barque rigged, arad is fitted with powerful engines, enabling her to push her way through the ice. She was built in 1884 by Messrs Alexander Stephen and Sons, Dundee, and at the time of her launch was, as she is now regarded, the chef d'oeuvre of this noted firm in marine architecture as applied to Arctic navigation. The ship is 187 ft long, 31ft beam, and 19ft deep, and is of 450 tons net amd 744 tons gross. The engines are of 120 nominal horse-power. The planking of the hull is 4iin in thickness in the bottom, and sJin in the top sides, and consists of specially selected oak and elm. This is fortified on the outside with iron-bark and green heart, from 24-in to 3in in thickness. At the bows, extending.to Bft or 9ft aft, "ice chocks" of ironbark, the greatest thickness of which is 9in, fortify this part o-f the ship against the strain -involved by the impact with- ice. Heavy knees of oak render the forepart of the vessel almost solid, the mass of timber at this part being almost 10ft ;in thickness, fore -and aft, binding and bracing the stem to -the keel and adjoining frames. The bows above and below the waiter line are further protected by heavy steel plates, while the outside, face of the stern is fortified by a steel plate 18in broad and 34in in thickness. The mean thickness of the framing, which is of solid oak, is aibout 13in, and there is also an inside skin 3Jin thick, giving the ship's side a mean thickness of over 23in. Further strength is imparted by the vessel being braced diagonally by beams 14-in square. The vessel can steam between nine and ten knots, Sht was formerly engaged in the sealing industry, and was chartered by the British Government to- relieve the National Antarctic expeditionary steamer Discovery. A smart bit of work was performed at Dundee in fitting the Terra Nova out for this expedition, the vessel being entirely re-barque-rigged in ten days.