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SS ''Black Osprey'' was a cargo ship for the American Diamond Lines and the British Cairn Line. She was formerly known as SS ''West Arrow'' when she was launched for the USSB during World War I. The ship was inspected by the United States Navy for possible use as USS ''West Arrow'' (ID-2585) but was neither taken into the Navy nor ever commissioned under that name. ''West Arrow'' was built in 1918 for the USSB, as a part of the ''West'' boats, a series of steel-hulled cargo ships built on the West Coast of the United States for the World War I war effort. Information about her early career is largely absent, but by the 1920s, news reports revealed that the ship was sailing on the North Atlantic. By the mid-1920s, ''West Arrow'' was sailing for American Diamond on their cargo service to Rotterdam and Antwerp. In 1935, American Diamond changed the ship's name to ''Black Osprey'' and the ship continued in Rotterdam service. After the outbreak of World War II, ''Black Osprey'', still under the registry of the still-neutral United States, was detained twice by British authorities, before the U.S.-established "Neutrality Zone" ended ''Black Osprey''s Dutch service in late 1939. Sailing under charter to the Isthmian Line in 1940, ''Black Osprey'' called at various ports in the Pacific Ocean. American Diamond sold ''Black Osprey'' to the British Ministry of War Transport in late 1940. During the ship's first transatlantic crossing under the British flag, she was sunk by on 18 February 1941, with the loss of 25 men. The 11 survivors were picked up by a Norwegian ship and landed in at Barry. == Design and construction == The ''West'' ships were cargo ships of similar size and design built by several shipyards on the West Coast of the United States for the USSB for emergency use during World War I. All were given names that began with the word ''West'', like ''West Arrow'',〔Crowell and Wilson, pp. 358–59.〕 one of some 24 ''West'' ships built by Skinner & Eddy of Seattle, Washington.〔〔Skinner & Eddy was an emergency shipyard that only operated from 1916 until about 1920.〕 ''West Arrow'' (Skinner & Eddy No. 12)〔 was laid down on 20 September 1917 under the name ''Jas. G. Eddy'', launched as ''West Arrow'' on 19 January 1918, and completed on 26 February 1918.〔 The ship was ,〔 and was long (between perpendiculars) and abeam. ''West Arrow'' had a steel hull and a deadweight tonnage of .〔 The ship had a single steam turbine that drove her single screw propeller, and moved the ship at a pace.〔 – 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「SS Black Osprey」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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