Evening star., 1940-07-21
Navy Seeking
Funds 10 Begin
Biggest Fleet
Authorization for
4 Billion Armada
Signed by President
By ROBERT BRUsKIN.

The Navy will seek funds in1me-
diately to start construction on the
$4,000 100000 feet increases author
lied in a bill signed yesterday by
President Roosevelt.
Soon after a White House an
nouncement disclosed presidential
approval of the authorization which
will give the United States a battle
force larger than any combination
of possibly hostile powers, an au-
thoritative Navy source yesterday
disclosed the high command was
ready to press for appropriations Of
$l78 900 900 with which to lay down
sells.
That amount will permit i'm
mediate expansion of shipyard IA
cilities, crucial need at present.
and possibly bring to life several
defunct yards which quit business
during the shipbuilding holiday in
the 20's and early sos. 1t was re.
ported that the closed Cramp ship
yard of Philadelphia, where many
of the larger vessels of the present
Navy was constructed before and
during the World War, might be re-
opened.
The appropriation would provide
S93, 900 900, for construction and ma
chinery, and $S5,0O0,000 for armor
plate. armament, ammunition and
necessary machine tools, equip
ment, land and facilities for exist
ing or additional naval establish.
ments or private plants"
Seek $4,000 Planes.
The items are included in q sup
Elemental navy bill of 1886, ,176, $40
providing also for the start of pro-
curing $1,000 warplanes. on which
House Committee is scheduled to
begin hearings Monday.
To encourage reopening Of ship
yards and expansion of facilities
to cope with the added construction.
the Navy expects to use its new
authorization to negotiate contracts
rather than seek public bids. 1t
also enables the Navy to advance
80 per cent of construction costs to
shipbuilders to be used for plant
expansion.
The proposed bill to change the
present 8 per cent profit limitation
on warships and planes and also
permit new facilities to. be. charged
on to profits over hve-year period
instead of the present longer time,
Is expected to create greater demand
for the new contracts.
Yards Are Needed.
| Existing shipways are jammed
with 1873 combat vessels already un-
der construction. If funds are
voted Immediately for all ships
authorized in the new 100000
two-ocean Navy program, facilities
must be found for approximately
168 warships. including 10 battle
ships, 8 plane carriers, 30 cruisers.
81 destroyers and 80 submarines
totaling 1,326,595 tons. The Navy
expects to have them ready for
action not later than 1947. This
will give the United States q fleet
of IS battleships. including several
superdreadnaughts of 5000 tons,
20 carriers, 88 cruisers. 378 destroy
ers, and 180 submarines-a total OF
70l combat vessels of 3,547,0O tons.
To facilitate the expansion, the
bill authorized $50, 900 900 for ship
yard construction at Navy Yards
and private yards. Indicative of the
serious need for expansion of ways
was the testimony recently of Rear
Admiral Samuel M. Robinson, chief
of the Bureau Of Engineering. that
only 50 ways were available In yards
which had previously constructed
warships. OF these, 10 were in
Navy Yards.
In addition. the Navy was au-
(See DEFENSE, Page A-4.)