Evening star., 1944-01-26
Appropriations
Continued From First Page.)

premacy," the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics asked
the committee for S23,235.130 to
finance its operations during the
next fiscal year
In spite of wishful thinking and
hoping, we have to be on the safe
side and to prepare for a long war
DR.. Jerome c. Hunsaker, NACA
chairman told the group.
I'VE must go on the idea it is a
war with increasing pressure for full
supremacy in the air. That is the
critical thing in the war, and we
can take no chances on losing that
air supremacy"
All Investigations currently being
made by the NACA, DR.. George w.
Lewis, director of aeronautical re-
search, told the committee, we're re-
quested by the Army and Navy.
Of the total requested, S9,75l,712
was earmarked for the aircraft
engine research laboratory at
Cleveland, s8,966.878 for the Lang
ley aeronautical laboratory at
Langley Field, Va; $3,362,l4O for
the Ames aeronautical laboratory
at Moffett Field, Calf, and s489, 400
for the Washington offices.
Postwar Fleet Estimate.
Forecasting a merchant fleet of
from 20000,000 to 100000 tons
after the war, depending on the
length of the war, Admiral Land
testified that "if we fritter it away,
AS we did after the last war, the
blood is on our own head"
Distribution of Axis trade among
the United Nations might be one
of the answers to the problem" of
what to do with the surplus ships
after the war, he said, adding that
Il think that this can be accom-
plished by international collabora-
tion and a little intestinal forti-
tude."
Admiral Land revealed in his
statement in Justification of a
budget estimate of $6,776, ,OO0, 900 for
the commissions construction fund
for the next fiscal year that LAS
ships had been completed on June
30, 1943, under the commission S
long-range construction program
AS of July /. 1943, he said, there
were 1892 ships under construction
or under contract, and the new
program contemplates 1859 ships
to be awarded subsequent to July
l, 1943, making grand total of
6,496 constructed, under construc-
ton or contemplated.
Those figures do not include 200
Liberty ships built under the emer-
gency program, nor ships built
under lease-lend or for the Army
and Navy.
II all these are combined, he said
there Is total of 1857 ships and
1,2l5 small craft.
Figures in Total Cost.
The total cost of the 6,496 ships
built by the commission on it's cwn
account, he said, was $16,478, ,452, ,687,
including $3,643,0 ,203 before July
l, 1943; $5,281 ,916,447 during fiscal
1914; $6,5O6 ,22O,536 during fiscal
l945. and $1,047 ,234, sol during fiscal
1916 and beyond.
Completed ships are now being
delivered at a rate in excess of five
. day, and will reach about six a
day, or one every four hours, Ad-
miral Land said.
Estimates for the next fiscal year
are based, he said, on a program
calling for delivery of Somewhat in
excess of 100000 tons" in ships
during each calendar year 1914 and
f945.
The Nations shipbuilding capac-
ity. everything being available" he
said, is about 25,0O0,0OO tons, and
present indications for calendar year
1914 call for construction of about
10000, 900 tons Of cargo ships and
between 1000. 900 and e,000. 900 tons
OF ships for the armed forces, priv
aaarily the Navy.