No. 1 Sailor

Flagship of the British merchant fleet after the Cunard White Star merger last year was neither the huge (56,000 tons) Majestic nor the fast (28 knots) Mauretania, nor the proud Berengaria. Instead the red-and-gold burgee of the combined fleet's commodore flew from the main truck of a little (20,000 tons) old (1921) ship called Samaria. Only reason that vessel flew the commodore's flag was because Commodore Robert G. Malin, a quiet man, liked little ships better than big ones, liked the Samaria best of all.

Commodore Malin succeeded the Aquitania's Captain Diggle as commodore in 1931. Last month, he, too, reached the age of retirement, and Cunard White Star officials looked around for a successor. Last week few seafarers were surprised when they chose for the job of commodore that salty old mariner Sir Edgar Theophilus Britten, longtime skipper of the Berengaria. Aide-de-camp to George V, who knighted him at a special investiture last year. Sir Edgar was particularly proud last week because as Britain's No. 1 sailor he is now certain to command her No. 1 ship, Queen Mary, when that 73,000-ton monster goes in service next year.

To Commander Britten, as commodore, goes a $500 annual bonus and the prized burgee, a red flag with two tails and a golden lion in the centre. He came very near missing both the bonus and the burgee. Last November when he reached the age of 60 he was supposed, like all Cunard skippers, to be retired on half-pay for three years, to be pensioned thereafter for life. In line for both bonus & burgee was the Mauretania's Captain Reginald V. Peel, who last week was transferred to the Olympic to succeed Captain John W. Binks, retired (TIME, Dec. 31). Cunard Line had agreed before the merger to retire its captains at 60, to ease congestion in the promotion of deck officers. But White Star got tired of paying off retired Cunard skippers.

Thus after some secret squabbling it was agreed recently to restore the Cunard age limit to 63. White Star masters still retire at 60, but they are better paid, and have no kick. Some three years from now Commodore Sir Edgar Britten will go to the modest head office of the Cunard Line at Pier's Head, Liverpool. There, with appropriate ceremony, he will hand over the burgee personally to his successor. That, according to indications last week, will be the Olympic's Captain Peel.

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