Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

PROCUREMENT OF SHIPS—DEFENCE OF CANADA, 1939-41the Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission in London, whichrepresented the Norwegian Government-in-exile and acted astrustee for the owners, was imwiUing to sell. Its policv was tocharter the vessels to the British Ministry of War Transport;and this was done, although the exact terms of the charterwere to remain in dispute until the end of the war. TheMinistry of War Transport in turn released the Suderoy IF,Suderoy V^ Suderoy VI, and Star XVI^ for use in the RoyalCanadian Navy. ^^While these auxiliary patrol and minesweeping serviceswere being organized, the first shipbuilding programme wasbeing approved and set in motion. This programme, whichwas planned on a two-year basis, was brought before theCabinet by the C.N.S. on September 18, 1939. ^^ It was arevision and enlargement of the one that the Naval Staff hadtried unsuccessfully to have included in the original 1939Estimates, when these had been under consideration ninemonths earlier. It made no change with regard to destroyers,proposing that they be ordered at the rate of two a year. Thisseemed to be the greatest number that could be manned, evenin the unlikely event that building conditions would permitmore to be laid down. In the interim, while additional destroyerswere being gradually acquired, the staff recommendedthat three Canadian liners, the Prince ships, should be convertedinto armed merchant cruisers and used to supplementavailable destroyers in providing protection against surfaceraiders.As far as minesweepers and anti-submarine escort \esselswere concerned, the new programme called for building bothin considerably larger numbers than had been contemplatedbefore the war. With the actual outbreak of hostilities, measuresfor defence against mines and U-boats could be no longerpostponed, and it was estimated that a minimum of 40 escortsand 28 minesweepers was required, apart from those alreadyin commission or to be converted from non-na\'al uses. \\\addition to these basic requirements, the programme allowedfor continuing to build each type at the rate of ten a year inorder to have replacements available in case of loss or damage,or during time spent in dock for refitting and repairs.18Can. High Comm., London, to N.S.H.Q., Dec. 19, 1940; same to same I"cb. Jii IVUl ;M. and S. representative, London, to D.Min., Nov. 10, 1942: (telegrams) N.S. 30-,W-l (1);N.S.H.Q. to C.N.M.O. (signal), Jan. 17, 1945, N.S. 7101-2(1). ,.. ,a.n" Cf. Chiefs of Staff Cttee. Minutes, Sept. 17, 1939; C.N.S. to .A/D.Mm., I