xwraith
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Joined: 4/17/2008
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This started as a short post, but then got longer, anyway here is a bit of a sketch I've come up with for a Canadian navy...
I'll float some more thoughts on what could be a Canadian navy build, and I've done a little research and it seems the biggest obstacles are:
- The national will to have a navy
- inexperience in the construction of warships
- the capacity to manufacture steel in the proper admiralty grades
All of these were overcome during the war, but it cost much time and money for Canada to deliver her Tribal DDs, a design first laid down in 1936.
So perhaps if Canada starts building warships earlier, say post WWI, perhaps there will be more warships, and even though Canada is heavily engaged in the North Atlantic she might be able to divert some forces to the Pacific. Anyway, here is sketch of what I came up with over a long drive through very flat terrain this weekend 
1919-1925: Laying the foundation
I'll start my point of divergence in 1919 as the British Modified W class destroyers start to be cancelled. The RCN steps in and picks up some contracts at a discount for things such as machinery and fittings, while planning to build equivalent hulls at the Vickers shipyards in Montreal, gaining valuable experience. Canada plans on a four ship class to be the foundation of the Navy, with the first two having their machinery sourced in Britain , while the second two will use Canada's industry as its source. These ships will be laid down over a four year period starting in 1920. With the Japanese getting their better ratio at the Washington treaty, Canada does not feel as secure and feels that there is still potential for conflict in the Pacific. However, the budget is still very constrained and Canada still ends up scrapping all her cruisers and the destroyers Patrician and Patriot as new construction becomes available.
1925-1927: The drought
In 1925, the political climate continues to chill against further expenditure on the RCN and a way is sought to maintain the construction capabilities that had been developed since 1920. While the last of the Modified Ws are still fitting out, the RCN puts in some orders for an AO class that can be leased out to commercial interests to offset the costs of construction and maintenance. In a tight budget environment, this class of three AOs to be built over five years is all that can be approved until a destroyer tender is ordered in 1928. The destroyer tender is built to better allow the RCN to operate farther from the ports of Halifax and Esquimalt in case of a crisis.
1928-1935: Slow and steady
The failure of the Geneva Naval Conference in 1927, the arrival of the new British "A" class destroyers in 1928, and the increasing leathality of submarines, destroyers, and cruisers spurred the Canadian government to once again build some destroyers to replace the aging W class. Naturally the RCN picked a British design and set about building a four ship River (I) class based on the British A/B/C/D designs of this period. The four destroyers built were Saguenay, Skeena, Assinboine, and Restigouche, with the first laid down in 1929 with one other laid down every subsequent year until 1932.
When the great depression hits, the destroyers being built are seen as aiding the economy and continue on untouched. However, as the River Is come into service the oldest W class is mothballed (special clause in the treaty for Commonwealth ships?) so that the overall size of the fleet stays the same. Also, with the advent of the London treaty destroyer and cruiser tonnage begins to be regulated. I'm not sure how much tonnage the British used of their allocation, but I'm hoping to fit in...
A four ship River (II) class based on the British E/F/G designs is ordered in 1933 and one is laid down every year until 1937. These ships are: Ottawa, St. Laurent, Fraser, and Kootenay
1935-1939: War on the horizon
When the Japanese leave the treaty, and with the increasing threat from Germany, Britain and the Commonwealth begins to rearm. Canada has several shipyards that are candidates for construction of small warships like destroyers. Vickers Canada, Yarrow at Esquimalt, BC, St. Johns shipbuilding in New Brunswick, and Halifax Shipyards. In the period coming up to the beginning of war in 1939 I would guess that the RCN would want to begin ordering some ships from these yards to prepare them for any War Emergency shipbuilding program that might come along. Sloops would seem to be ideal vessels, and since it would be strategically advantageous to have a shipbuilder in the Pacific, Yarrow should see some contracts come there way along with the technical assistance to start building larger destroyers. Anyway here is what I've put down:
Tribal (I) class: 8 ships
1 Laid down in 1936 (Iroquois)
2 Laid down in 1937 (Athabaskan, Huron)
2 Laid down in 1938 (Haida, Micmac)
3 Laid down in 1939 (Nootka, Cayuga, Siksika)
Bittern class sloop
1 Laid down in 1935
3 Laid down in 1936
3 Laid down in 1937
Black Swan class sloop
4 Laid down in 1938
4 Laid down in 1939
With war very close in 1938, Canada decides she needs some light cruisers to augment her convoying ability:
Fiji class light cruiser
2 Laid down in late 1938
Active ships as of 1939:
4 River I DD
4 River II DD
3 Tribal DD
6 Bittern Sloops
4 Black Swan Sloops
3 AO
1 AD
Under construction
2 Fiji Light Cruisers
5 Tribal DD
4 Black Swan Sloops
Mothballed
4 Modified Ws (To be converted to long range escorts once the war commences)
Anyway this is about as far as I've sketched things out, thoughts?
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