Editing Challenger expedition (section)

== Preparations ==
To enable it to probe the depths, 15 of ''Challenger''{{'s}} 17 guns were removed and its spars reduced to make more space available. Laboratories, extra cabins and a special [[dredging]] platform were installed.<ref name="NOAA" /> ''Challenger'' used mainly sail power during the expedition; the steam engine was used only for dragging the dredge, station-keeping while taking soundings, and entering and leaving ports.<ref name="NOAA" /> It was loaded with specimen jars, filled with alcohol for preservation of samples, microscopes and chemical apparatus, trawls and dredges, thermometers, barometers, water sampling bottles, [[Depth sounding|sounding leads]], devices to collect sediment from the sea bed and great lengths of rope with which to suspend the equipment into the ocean depths.<ref name="Equipment">{{cite web|title=Scientific Equipment on HMS Challenger|url=https://rammhmschallenger.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/scientific-equipment-on-hms-challenger/|website=HMS Challenger Project|access-date=31 January 2018|date=2 June 2015|archive-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200705/https://rammhmschallenger.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/scientific-equipment-on-hms-challenger/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Because of the novelty of the expedition, some of the equipment was invented or specially modified for the occasion. It carried {{convert|181|mi}} of Italian [[hemp]] rope for [[Depth sounding|sounding]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://bernews.com/2013/03/bermuda-and-the-challenger-expedition/|title=Bermuda And The "Challenger" Expedition|newspaper=Bernews |date=March 29, 2013|access-date=24 February 2020|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224083557/http://bernews.com/2013/03/bermuda-and-the-challenger-expedition/|url-status=live}}</ref>