On board the Royal Navy armoured cruiser Black Prince (1904) nearing launch day in the shipyard of Thames Iron Works Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., at Blackwall, London. The photographer is looking aft from the forward end of the forecastle deck showing the ropes, used to hold the drag chains, wrapped round the capstans and passing down through the hawse pipes. Temporary guard ropes have been fitted to the ship's sides.