Washington, Jan. 9.
President Roosevelt has tentatively abandoned plans to ask Congress for two new battleships in addition to the two now under construction and the two recommended in his recent budget message to Congress, it was learned here to-day.
Instead, the President will recommend a huge aircraft building programme and the construction of additional submarines and destroyers. "The construction of two additional battleships at this time, the President was reported to believe, would overtax present/battleship building facitiies.
The President's national defence message which he will deliver before Congress this week is expected to request an increase in. the defence budget of between—$100,000,000- $200,000,000. The bulk of this sum would be spent for improving the Navy's air arm, undersea forces and bulwarking light surface craft divisions.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.