CANADIAN NAVY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 October 1940, Page 7

CANADIAN NAVY

STRENGTH STEADILY GROWING. SIX U.S.A. DESTROYERS BEING ADDED. OTTAWA. Canada’s steadily growing navy was further augmented when six of the fifty destroyers given by the United States to the United Kingdom, in return for leases on nine sea and air bases stretching from Newfoundland to British Guiana, were shortly to be commissioned as Canadian ships. In announcing this in a recent Press conference, Naval Minister Angus L. Macdonald said that the ships were now in Canadian waters and would be manned by 800 Canadians. As a friendly gesture to the United States, the ships will be named after some of the rivers which form part of the fortless boundary between two good neighbours. These vessels will bear the names of Annapolis, Columbia. Niagara. St Clair, St Croix and St Francis, and bring Canada’s destroyer strength up to thirteen. Mr Macdonald states that the construction programme under way in Canadian shipyards was up to schedule. Of the 54 corvettes .or submarine chasers, on order, many have already been delivered and will be ready for service at an early date. While the nature of the duties of the newly-acquired ships was not divulged. the Minister intimated some might serve overseas where four Canadian destroyers are already aiding the Royal Navy in keeping British waters clear of enemy submarines and other craft, in escorting convoys, and many other duties. "An example of the rigorous service that ships of the Royal Canadian Navy are undergoing is the fact that from May 24 to September 5 the “Restigouche" steamed 26,181 miles," he said. There would be no difficulty in manning the six destroyers received from the United States, according to Mr Macdonald, as at present there is a total waiting list of about 15,000, including 400 officers and 2,000 men classed as probationers. In the active service now were 11,149 officers and men, this total including the 800 who would man the six additional destroyers.