The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-09-20

This week It Is surprisingly an
Hounced by the 18TH naval district,
Southern California. that "a fish,
boats have been purchased and
taken over for conversion into navy
minesweepers. All are San Pedro
boats. AL are considerably smaller
(around 200 horsepower and hence
cheaper) than the vessels under
official consideration hereabouts.
Now then. whether or not the
boats already purchased will prove
satisfactory during navy tests IL
yet to be seen. We suggest that
the trawlers which the navy has
bought and converted on the east
coast for minesweepers are consid-
erably bigger-just the size OF the
soo-40o-H.P. sardine purse-selners
put under option locally.
II looks to this department very
much as though some pooriy-in-
formed naval officer has gone off
the somewhat deepish end with his
bargain boats We only hope all
Pacific coast fishboats are not
judged as minesweepers by his per-
formers.
And we further know that Off
GERS Of the 18th naval district
who've become acquainted with the
big local fishboats consider the
type far superior to the smaller
breed--of which there are certain
ly plenty hereabouts. too - for
minesweepers.
However, one fishboat has been
bought locally She's the beam
trawler Penobscot. A steel steam
er. she was built during the last
fancy fracas for the French gov
eminent TO sweep mines. She was
later converted TO Diesel and
brought around to this coast as a
trawler. but she's not been success
full. She's been bought by the navy
and is presently being reconverted
into minesweeper at a Puget
Sound shipyard.
But returning to navy purchase
OF purse-seiners, OF which there are
several hundred on the Pacific
coast, there's not yet any telling
when, how many or whose boats
will be bought. II any. The pro-
gram isn't really started fair. still
in the preliminsries.
Because Of wild rumors rife on
the waterfront. we suppose we'd
be justified in writing a lot more
on the subject But we don't think
1t would gain anything.
A few facts have been already
misconstrued. There's nothing
gained in trying TO outguess navy
officialdom. More suggestions from
US would be equally confusing.
So We suggest a re-reading of
the foregoing paragraphs regard
ing for what has actually happened
and then relax.
In brief, ID moderately sized
fishboats have just been bought by
the navy to be converted and test
ed as minesweepers. Nothing more.
And the navy certainly needs a
good many more II 1t really wants
a proper minesweeping fleet. And
there are hundreds OF adaptable
fishboats left on the Pacific coast,
many OF them much better for the
purpose than the selected IA.
Meanwhile. somebody has been
talking-so We guess it's more or
less public domain now.
The navy also has invited bids
on a fleet (up to 500) of swift tor
pedo boats for Pacific coast de-
Tense. This department declared
aloud such e plan would be
splendid idea. though we didn't
know ut the time what was afoot.
So were gratified And you can
build any rumors you like around
the program.
And someday when we haven't
anything else TO command this
space. wen write a little essay re-
garding the construction of navy
minesweepers new from the keel
up. Something doing there, too.