In March 1917, Muirhead Bone (1876-1953) was sent as an Official War Artist to the Grand Fleet at Rosyth, Scotland, where he spent three weeks recording daily life at sea, including oiling and firing practice. The work that he completed during that time was reproduced in May 1917 in ‘Country Life’ magazine and was compiled into a portfolio of six lithographs titled ‘With the Grand Fleet’. Although the prints may each be viewed as a work of art in its own right, the text that accompanies them makes it clear that this portfolio was intended as propaganda. The journalist C. E. Montague’s (1867-1928) descriptions enforce an idea of British superiority, pride and power and encourage the viewer to consider Bone’s lithographs in a new way.

Montague's description for 'Boiler room' was:
'The vessel is oil-driven, so the stoke-hold is robbed of its old terrors and is remarkably cool. The stokers seem few in proportion to the size of the place, but they are experts of a higher class than coal furnaces required.'