Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

THE BEGINNING OF WAR, 1939primarily be concerned with that type of defence should besent to England for a course of instruction.'^Lieut. -Cdr. A. R. Pressey, R.C.N., accordingly sailed onAugust 11, armed with lists of boom-defence equipment onhand and charts of the principal Canadian harbours. Thenavy was anxious to acquire proper designs and specificationsfor Canadian booms in order to ensure the best protectionpossible, and also wished to have one of its officers so wellversed in modern boom-delence practice that he would be ableto improvise to the lull extent of Canadian resources.^" Forthese purposes a draughtsman was required, preferably a Canadianwhose services could be retained in Canada after trainingin England, and Mr. J. E. Middleton, senior draughtsman inD.N.E., was appointed and sent to the United Kingdom onSeptember 1.The European war was one day old when Lieut. -Cdr.Pressey wrote to D.N.L and P. informing him of his progress.After witnessing anti-submarine boom trials at Rosyth, he hadgone to Portsmouth to obtain information on laying boomsand organizing a depot, and had then returned to Rosyth tobegin work on the designsfor Canadian booms. ^^By this time, however, Canada expected to be at war inthe very near future, and the protection of Halifax andEsquimalt at least could not be delayed. Foundation MaritimeLtd. of Halifax, the only local organization possessing suitabletugs and other necessary facilities, were prepared to lay theboom defences at Halifax, for in 1938 they had sent a representativeto the United Kingdom in order to obtain up-to-dateinformation. On September 6, 1939, therefore, the Chairmanof the Defence Purchasing Board^'- authorized that firm tonet defence boom acrossproceed with the task of laying an A/SHalifax harbour, according to specifications which had alreadybeen supplied by the Naval Service. So urgent was the needthat a formal contract was postponed, and in the meantimean understanding was reached whereby Foundation .\hiritimeLtd. agreed to undertake the job on a •'•'cost-plus basis.« Sec. Admiralty to C.N.S., June 20, 1939, X.S. lOo.S-l-l (1).*°D.N.I, and P. to S.B.I). (.J^dmiralty), July 31, 1939, ibi^i.^' Lieut.-Cdr. Pressey to D.N.I, and P., Sept. 4, 1939, ibtd." D.P.B. controlled all such government expenditures exceeding $5,00U." In the case of materials they were permitted to charge 2' 2% on the cost. .Also, theCompany was to submit the rental's which they proposed to charge for the use ot their equipment,and when these had been agreed upon by both parties a contract would be drawn up.17