Presldeht Roosevelt, backed by the War and Navy Departments, is dissatisfied with the present strength of national defences, and additional replacement and construction, above that provided for in the present programme, may require supplementary estimates before Congress adjourns for the summer, The Navy during 1937 commissioned 24 ships, including one aircraft carrier, one heavy cruiser, two light cruisers. fifteen destroyers and five submarines, It is expected that an equal number, at least, will join the fleet during this year In addition, work is being rushed on the super-dreadnoughts North Carolina and Washington. and President Roosevelt has indicated he may ask two additional ships of the same class, 35,000 tons and mounting sixteen-inch guns,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.