Customs Authorities Detain U.S. Ships Sold to Egypt; Received No Orders from State Dept.

Customs authorities here today denied that they had been ordered by the State Department to inspect two speedy U.S. Navy frigates sold to Egypt in order to establish whether those ships were “demilitarized.” The statement that such inspection had been ordered was made by the State Department following complaints by reporters that all gun mounts and ammunition bins were still intact on both ships, while crews were already aboard prepared to sail for Egypt.

The customs authorities emphasized that the ships had been cleared by the Navy and were eligible to sail today. However, in view of the various reports concerning their “demilitarization” they will not be permitted to leave for the time being, although no specific request to this effect has been received from the State Department.

A group of 40 seamen of the Egyptian Navy has arrived in Baltimore to man the vessels. The frigates–a Navy designation for a ship similar in size and purpose to a destroyer escort–were built in 1944 for the U.S. Navy and saw service during the war. Each was equipped with three-inch guns, 40 millimetre anti-aircraft batteries and depth charges.

In Washington, the State Department said this afternoon that it has “satisfactory assurances” that the two frigates will be used by Egypt “for commercial purposes only.” Spokesmen for the Department said that the Navy has reported that the vessels have been “demilitarized by Navy standards.”

“The State Department is taking steps to ascertain, however, whether there is material aboard which can be classified as arms, ammunition, or implements of war from the standpoint of export control. If the Department determines that these vessels are still demilitarized, they will be released,” the State Department announcement said.