DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
            OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
 
                         WASHINGTON
 
                       15 January 1942
 
My dear Mr. President:
 
              Your authority is requested to present to the Budget and
 Congress a program for the construction of two thousand (2,000)
 miscellaneous vessels of categories and at estimated costs as shown
 in the accompanying table. Of these two thousand (2,000) vessels you
 have previously released nine hundred and fifty-eight (958) which are
 marked "Released" in the accompanying table. This part of the program
 is now under way. It is considered advisable to release the program
 as a whole, at this time, in order to better coordinate our efforts
 and to effect completion at the earliest possible date.
 
          The number of vessels for which release is requested is a
 result of conferences between the British Commission based on their
 original request which in turn was based on their deficiencies for an 
all-out war effort. The list represents essentially what we consider
 reasonably possible to produce within the times shown in the table.
 
        It is our understanding that with your approval of this program
 we will handle it with the Budget in the same way as we do our 
own. While this program is based on the British requirements, it is
 our understanding that these vessels when completed will be allocated 
where most needed.
 
Sincerely yours,
                Frank Knox
  
 
The President,
The White House.