THE WHITE HOUSE
 
            WASHINGTON
 
My dear Mr. Secretly,
 
       With reference to your letter of January 15, 1942, requesting
 release of the program for the construction of 2,000 miscellaneous
 vessels, resulting from conferences with the British Commission,
 you are advised as follows,
 
       I approve the program insofar as it relates to the construction 
of 1,799 vessels and, under date of January 16, 1942, presented
 to Congress in Estimate No. 11 the following provision for the
 fiscal years 1942 and 1943, respectively:
 
 
             Increase and Replacement of Naval Vessels
             --------------------------------------------------- 
Emergency Construction
 
         (1942) The Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized
 to undertake the construction of one thousand seven hundred 
and ninety-nine additional vessels, including hulls, machinery,
 outfits, armor, armament, ammunition, and essential tools,
 equipment and facilities in public or private plants for the
 building or equipping of said vessels or portions thereof,
 at a total cost of not to exceed $3,900,000,000, toward which
 there is hereby appropriated $300,000,000, to remain available
 until expended: Provided, That the Secretary of the Navy
 is authorized to enter into contracts in the amount of not to
 exceed $750,000,000 for essential tools, equipment and facilities
 in public or private plants for the building or equipping of 
said vessels or portions thereof, ..... $300,000,000.
 
       (1943) On account of vessels, including hulls, machinery,
 outfits, armor, armament, ammunition, and essential tools,
 equipment and facilities in public or private plants for the 
building or equipping of said vessels or portions thereof,
 authorized (and appropriated for in part) by Title VI, Naval 
Appropriation Act for the fiscal year 1942, $1,588,600,000,
 %o remain available until expended.
 
 
       The details, including your estimates of cost, of the 1,799
 vessels, for the construction of which my approval has been given,
 are set forth on the following page.