HEARINGS ON H. R. 9218 TO ESTABLISH THE COMPOSITION OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN NAVAL VESSELS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. MR. VINSON OF GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, Washington, Monday, January 31, 1938. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. Carl Vinson (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. Let the committee come to order. The purpose of this hearing this morning is to consider H. R. 9128. Let the clerk read the bill. (The clerk read the bill as follows:) [H. R. 9218, 75th Cong., 4d sess.] A BILL To establish the composition of the United States Navy, to authorize the construction of certain naval vessels, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in addition to the tonnages of the United States Navy as agreed upon and established by the treaties signed at Washington, February 6, 1922, and at London, April 22, 1930, and as authorized by the Act of March 27, 1934 (48 Stat. 503), as amended by the Act of June 25, 1936 (49 Stat. 1926); the authorized composition of the United States Navy in underåge vessels `ts. Kéreby increased by the following tonnages: (a) Capital ships, one hundred and five thousand tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of six hundred and thirty, thousand tons; (b) Aircraft carriers, thirty thousand tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of one hundred and sixty-five thousand tons; (c) Cruisers, sixty-eight thousand seven hundred and fifty-four tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of four hundred and twelve thousand five hundred and twenty-four tons; (d) Destroyers, thirty-eight thousand tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of two hundred and twenty-eight thousand tons; (e) Submarines, thirteen thousand six hundred and fifty-eight tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of eighty-one thousand nine hundred and fifty-six tons. SEC. 2. The President of the United States is hereby authorized to undertake such construction, including replacements, as is necessary to build the Navy to the total authorized underage composition as provided for in section 1 of this Act. SEC. 3. The President of the United States is hereby authorized to acquire or construct additional naval airplanes, including patrol planes, and spare parts and equipment, so as to bring the number of useful naval airplanes to a total of three thousand. SEC. 4. The President of the United States is hereby further authorized to acquire or to undertake the construction of the following auxiliary vessels: (a) Five destroyer tenders, a total of forty-five thousand tons light displacement tonnage; (b) Three submarine tenders, a total of twenty-seven thousand tons light displacement tonnage; (e) Four large seaplane tenders, a total of thirty-three thousand two hundred tons light displacement tonnage; |