DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL 81
 MoBusa, ALA., March 18, 1933.
The PInnmzT,
 The White House, Washington, D. C.:
 We wish to endorse and commend to you for your most careful consideration
the proposed ship-canal project across north Florida. Understand General Sum-
merall will confer with you Monday and explain the great economic good that
would result from this improvement In addition to tQe permanent advantages
of such an undertaking, it would give immediate employment to a large number.
We sincerely trust that the merit of the proposition will justify you in includ-
ing in your broad program this particular objective.
 R. A. CHmBrrnN,
 Chairman, Alabama State Docks Commission.


 DOCUMENT NO. 27 (FILES OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET),
 MARCH 24, 1933

 CoMMUNICATION FEox HENRY H. BUCKMAN To HE DIBCTOR OF THE
 BUDGrEr

 Under date of March 24 1933, Henry H. Buckman, of engineering
 counsel for the National Gulf-Atlantic Ship Canal Association, pur-
 suant to instructions issued by the President, addressed the following
 communication to the Hon. L. W. Douglas, Director of the Budget:
 WAsHIEGToN, D. C., March 24, 1933.
 Hon. L. W. DovuLAs,
 Director of the Budget, Washington, D. C.
 Mr DmA M&. DOUrGLA: The President has directed me to lay before you the
 matter of the proposed Gulf-Atlantic ship canal across Florida and to ask of
 you that you request the Secretaries of War, Interior, and Commerce to make
 to the President, within 1 week from March 23, a report on this project with a
 view toward its present construction, the chief questions to be covered by the
 report being:
 1. What will be the approximate outside cost of the project?
 2. Can it be made self-liquidating over a term of years on the basis of revenue
 to be derived from tolls on shipping sufficient to pay (a) operating expenses,
 (b) 3 to 83 percent on the capital cost, (o) amortization at the rate of approxi-
 mately one-half of 1 percent per annum?
 The Corps of Engineers are now completing a very comprehensive survey of
 the project, and the Secretary of War will no doubt have available all necessary
 information.
 There is attached hereto a digest of the salient facts relating to the project.
 Sincerely yours,
 H. H. BUOKMAN,
 Consulting Engineer, National Gulf-Atlantic Ship Canal Association.


 DOCUMENT NO. 28 (FILES OF THE P. W. A.), MAY 12, 1933

 AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA CREATING THE
 SHIP CANAL AUTHORITr OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPROVED MAY
 12, 1933

 For the purpose of cooperating with the Federal Government in
 the construction of the canal, the Legislature of the State of Florida,
 by an act approved May 12, 1933, created the Ship Canal Authority
 of the State of Florida. The title of this bill is as follows:
 AN ACT Creating and incorporating the Ship Canal Authority of the State of
 Florida; prescribing the capital of said corporation; providing for the man-