Captain's Chest
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The Captain's Chest was originally a lockable box belonging to the captain of a ship where important ship's equipment (maps, astrolabes and secret orders) could be stored along with his personal effects. In modern usage, it is often a slang term for the safe on a ship or submarine.
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The necessity of keeping certain articles safe led to captains using a large box, or chest, to store information or navigation materials. These chests have been essential for holding secret orders - for example Captain Cook was ordered to read instructions after he had observed the passage of Venus across the sun, which were to go out and seek 'Terra Australis Incognita' - now referred to as Australia. It was also a place to keep the Ship's Log, a vital piece of equipment, often ruined by the damp while at sea.
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It is rumored that the US Navy employs captain's chests on ships or submarines armed with nuclear weapons where the nuclear access codes are kept[citation needed].
