THE WHITE HOUSE
                           WASHINGTON
 
MEMORANDUM                                   April 28, 1942
 
          TO:       THE PRESIDENT
          
          FROM:     MR. LUBIN
 
          SUBJECT:  MERCHANT SHIPPING GAINS AND LOSSES
                         Week Ending April 19, 1942
 
 
                            Tankers
 
     1. During the week ending April 19, United States and
British controlled tanker losses continued at an exceedingly
high rate. Total U.S. and U.K. losses were 150,000 DW tons.
 
     2. New construction of tankers in the U.S., and the U.K.,
and Canada for the month aggregated 28,000 tons.
 
     3. Taking the first three weeks of April as a whole, 38
tankers of 441,000 tons were lost.
 
     4. During the first three weeks of April, only five new
tankers of 73,000 tons were put into operation.
 
     5. From January 1 to April 19, 1942, total U.S. and U.K.
Tanker tonnage lost was 1,363,000 tons. During the same period
295,000 tons of new construction were put into commission, leaving
a net decrease in available tonnage of 1,068,000 tons. This is
about 10 per cent of the total tanker tonnage available to the
United States and Great Britain on January 1.
 
                         Cargo Vessels
 
     6. Losses of cargo vessels under American and British
control during the week ending April 19 were 175,000 tons.
 
     7. This loss was partially offset by new U.S., U.K., and
Canadian construction during the week when 128,800 DW tons were
put into commission.