Evening star., 1940-07-20
Nav
Bill Is Signed
By President
$83 ,O00, 900 Asked
To Sturt Work on
701-Ship Fleet
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt has signed q
bill authorizing q 44,610,O 900 900 ex-
pansion Of the Navy designed to
give the United States q "two-ocean'
fleet capable Of meeting any possible
hostile combination.
The White House announced the
signing today, while Mr.. Roosevelt
was cruising on the Potomac River
The Chief Executive already had
asked Congress to provide $83 OOO,-
600 to start work on the new pro-
gram which, when completed. in
1946 or 1947, would give the Nation
total of 70l fighting craft built
around the worlds most powerful
single aggregation of capital ships
IS dreadnaughts.
In addition to about 200 new sur
face ships and submarines to cost
81, ,010 ,000, 900 with the additional
facilities they will require, the new
law authorized the Navy to acquire
for 5000 900 600 a total of $4,000 air.
planes, so per cent more than the
previously authorized maximum. If
the President deems them necessary,
even more may be ordered.
Provision for Shipyards.
To expedite construction of the
mammoth fleet, the new act au-
thorizes an appropriation of $780,
10000 for essential equipment and
facilities at either private or naval
shipyards, an additional SIS, ,OOO. 900
for expansion of facilities for the
production of ordnance and NUM-
tions at either Government or pri-
vate factories and $35, ,0OO, 900 to ex-
pand the Nations limited armor.
making plants.
Besides the 200 combat ships, the
law also authorizes construction or
conversion of 100000 tons of aux
iliary vessels such as tanks, sea-
plane tenders and repair ships, and
q $50,000000 fleet of small patrol
and escort vessels and motor tor
pedo boats.
The huge armada, with greater
range and striking power than any
other In the worlds history, was de-
signed to enable the Navy to meet
attacks in the Atlantic and Pacific
at the same time, If necessary, and
to meet the enemy 1000 miles or
more from this country's shores.
In recommending the unprece-
dented increase, which the House
and Senate approved with less than
three hours debate, the Senate
Naval Committee declared 1t was
necessary because "the possibilities
confronting the nations Of the world
today, including those of the West
efn Hemisphere, are Of most se.
rious nature. It added that "our
present Navy. including the vessels
and planes now authorized, may be
inadequate to meet successfully pos
sible or even probable international
situations which may occur in the
nesr future"
The new law authorizes q 10 per
cent expansion of the feet, which
would add 1928 900 tons of COM
batant ships to the Navy. For
reasons of military secrecy. the
exact number of each type of ship
in the new program was not dis
closed.
Increase by Tonnages.
BY tonnages. however, the in
crease in each major category
would be as follows:
Battleships. 385, 900 tons; aircraft
carriers, 100000 tons: cruisers. 420.-
900 tons; destroyers. $50, 900 tons and
submarines, 10000 tons.
The completed Navy of 701 fight
Ing ships would include IS battle
ships, 20 aircraft carriers, SO cruis-
ers, 378 destroyers and $50 subma-
rines. Congressional sources esti-
mated it would cost about $4,000 ,OO0,-
600 a year for the next seven years
to construct this gigantic fleet and
maintain the ships and facilities
already in existence, and about ST.
800, 1000 900 annually thereafter to
support it.
Some of the cruisers in the new
program are expected to be much
larger than any now in the fleet
possibly as large as 20, 900 tons, com.
pared with the present maximum
treaty cruiser" of 10000 tons. The
new type would have greater range
and striking power and would be
designed for duty in the South At
lantic or far Pacific.