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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

George I. Gay, Commissioner, Planning Division, to Professor J. A. Field, Staff of United States Shipping Board

Chronological Copy.                     File No.

Cablegram Received       June <23, 1918,> 06524   JCM

Origin    Opnav Washington         Ser. No. S.M. 187

C-3  June 25

29 ARD

Simsadus.1

Boards Navy 187 Day to Field Your 243 Figures in our 1522 were furnished by Chief Statistician of Emergency Fleet Corporation and supposed by us to be accurate in every particular. Now transpires that data <was> were incorrect. Figures obtained by telephone today from same statistician in Philadelphia Pa. are as follows

Delivery in May contract vessels

     6 Steel   37,050 tons

     1 Wood    3,500 tons

Total 7 vessels 40,550 tons

Safe to assume that these are final. We have experienced conditions highly unsatisfactory for a long time. Confusion incident to transfer of Emergency Fleet from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia, Pa. has aggravated trouble. Gay announces Marshall Evans will replace present Chief Statistician. Some improvement may be expected immediately. Statistics will be unexceptionable in short time. Reason to believe advent of Evans will tend to straighten newspaper situation. Conflicting figures have vexed greatly. Gay satisfied discrepency will cease 10023

Benson.3

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 1: Staff of VAdm. William S. Sims.

Footnote 2: Day is a typo for George I. Gay. See: Gay and George Rublee to Field, 12 June 1918.

Footnote 3: Adm. William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations.

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