Evening star., 1940-12-27
Plan for u. 5. 10 Build
Merchant Fleet for
Britain Studied
Extensive Program
Would Fit in With
Lease Policy
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Administration action to bolster
Britain's hard-pressed merchant
feet was reported imminent today.
An authoritative source predicted
that President Roosevelt would
recommend shortly that the United
States speedily build a large num-
ber of merchant ships, in a program
comparable to the record breaking
construction of World War days.
This informant said that the prof.
ect would be extensive" and fit into
the plan which Mr.. Roosevelt has
discussed for leasing or lending
equipment and supplies to the
British.
1t was not disclosed whether the
proposed ships themselves would be
made available to Britain or would
be used to replace other tonnage
which might be leased Immediately
Canada Corridor Suggested.
Speculation continued in the Capt.
tai, meanwhile, that the admins
tration soon might take another step
to strengthen the British conveys
now striving to protect shipments
of food and war materials from Nazi
submarine and plane attacks
Official estimates of the number
of additional destroyers needed by
the British ranged from 100 to 400,
despite the fact that this Govern
ment already has traded so old
World War destroyers for the right
to lease naval and air base sites
Some naval officers are opposed to
the transfer of additional World
War destroyers unless the United
States gets in exchange something
which possesses a military value
comparable to the base sites. A cor
ridor through Canada for military
highway to Alaska has been sug-
gested as one possible consideration,
Sub Chasers Completed.
Other quarters suggested that the
British might acquire light, speedy
submarine chaSers from the United
States. i.
The Navy now has three newly
completed submarine chasers and
two others nearing completion. They
have smaller operating range than
destroyers, but can be built in much
less time.
To avoid "bottleneck" in marine
engine production, an authoritative
source said, reciprocating engines
would be used instead of turbo-
electric equipment in the merchant
ships to be built The reason given
for this was that some unused
facilities for the production of re-
ciprocating engines were available,
whereas plants to turn out the more
modern equipment were loaded with
work and could not be expanded
quickly.
81 Ships Completed.
The Maritime Commission has
since the beginning of 1888 started
the construction of ITO new trans
ocean craft. comprising the first
major addition to the merchant
fleet since the end of the World War
OF these, 54 have been completed
and are now in service. On No
vember l this year total OF l8l
merchant vessels comprising ton
mage of 497,730 were under con-
struction in this country to fill pri-
vate and commission orders.
The additional construction to be
proposed. it was said, would be on
top of the order which the British
assigned December 10 to the Todd
California Shipbuilding Corp. of
Richmond, Calf, and the Todd
Bath Iron Shipbuilding Corp. of
South Portland, Me.
This order involves 60 freighters
to cost nearly s1OO,OO0,OO0. 1t did
not wait upon completion of the
lend-or- lease plan for American
financing. The British had pre-
viously earmarked S50,000,000 in
cash for the project.