Minus Fifty

Tea time was over, dusk was falling in Boston Harbor. The U. S. destroyer Aaron Ward backed out of her pier and headed into the Atlantic. Behind, in a single grey file, trailed the A.P. Upshur and the Hale. Motorists on the Charlestown Bridge and idlers in North End Park honked, cheered, waved. Off for Canada and World War II were the first of 50 destroyers which the U. S. Navy last week gave up to the British (see p. 11)

At naval and private docks in South and East Boston, workmen repainted the hulls, painted out the names (but not the U. S. Navy numerals) of other ships of the same class. Hustled aboard were oil for an Atlantic crossing, reportedly full stores of 21-inch (British-size) torpedoes for the twelve tubes, shells for the four 4-inch guns and lone, outmoded antiaircraft gun which each destroyer carried. Reportedly installed on some was Great Britain's prized DeGaussing rig of electrical cables, to foil magnetic mines. Aboard each vessel were some 60 U. S. Navy men and officers (about half the normal crew). They were detailed to deliver the ships (probably to Halifax), break in British crews. By week's end the Wood, Welles, Crowninshield, Buchanan, Herndon --eight destroyers all told--had left Boston, still flying the U. S. flag and the U. S. Navy's union jack (but not the commission pennants which mark ships in active U. S. service).

In return for new bases and command of the Caribbean (see p. 18), the Navy could well afford to let the ships go. Even so, the traded destroyers were no useless hulks. They were indeed "World War destroyers," in the sense that they were designed during World War I. But most of them were completed after the war, and some did not technically become over age (16 years old) until 1938. Small (314 ft., 1,190 tons), lightly gunned, fast (35 knots), they were designed for the use to which the British presumably will put them: long-range convoy and patrol (see p. 27).

They were, in fact, the best destroyers the U. S. Navy had up to 1934. Then bigger (1,395-1,850 tons), faster (maximum 41 knots), more maneuverable and better-gunned destroyers began to come off the ways.* The Navy gradually retired its oldsters, but kept them greased. By last week, 123 were in service. Some have been converted into mine layers, some are being made into troop carriers and anti-aircraft batteries. Most were assigned to safe and stodgy neutrality patrol. The Navy last week had 78 modern destroyers, 57 more under construction and 74 planned. Even before the building program was stepped up the Navy expected to have 61 additional destroyers in service by 1943. That rate of increase will certainly be bettered, may be doubled.

To replace Britain's 50 with as many modern destroyers would cost around $325,000,000 or nearly three times the cost of World War I destroyers. But the Navy did not think about the Departed 50 in terms of replacement. They came, the Navy reckoned, from surplus. Lone grumblers last week were officers whose chances of getting commands were temporarily diminished. Seniors in Washington figured the Navy could spare 25 more destroyers of the old vintage without causing any serious shortage.

* Characteristics of the World War I destroyers are: displacement 1,190 tons; length 314 feet; draught 9 1/4 feet; complement 122; speed 35 knots; torpedo tubes twelve 21-inch; four 4-inch guns; one 3-inch anti-aircraft gun; four funnels. A modern destroyer of the Sims class displaces 1.570 tons; length 341 feet; draught 10 feet; complement 175; speed 39 knots; torpedo tubes twelve 21-inch; five 5-inch guns, several smaller ones; one funnel.

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