Naval Bargain

Chile's President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla seemed in an unusually expansive mood. Wrapped in a borrowed admiral's cape, he watched his small but well-trained fleet in combat maneuvers at Quintero naval air base. Later he announced: "We just bought two cruisers . . . Thanks to the good will and the facilities granted by the U.S. Government, we will soon add . . . the U.S.S. Brooklyn and Savannah* to our fleet."

Washington confirmed that a deal to sell Chile two light cruisers was just about closed. The U.S. has offered surplus warships to...