218 DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL
 Senator FuLrcmmu. I would like to ask: In consideration of the
findings of the board of review, the P. W. A. determined that the
project for a toll canal would not be self-liquidating under the pro-
visions and regulations governing such projects before that agency-
in other words, 40 years and 4 percent, and so forth--and the appli-
cation was disapproved. That is true, I think. This disapproval
was without reference to its economic justification as a toll-free
Federal rivers and harbors project.
 Secretary ICKXS. No; we never considered it as a toll-free Federal
river and harbors project. We would not have spent 30 seconds on
that, Senator, because that would not have brought it within our
jurisdiction. We considered it as a self-liquidating proposition, and
as that we could not approve it.
 Senator FLIVCHR. Your disapproval was without reference to
that
 Secretary Icms. Yes* I have said that a good many times.
 Senator FzzvH Y'ou are in a hurry, Mr. Chairman-
 The CHAxmAN. No; if you have anything more, Senator we will
go ahead. I mean so far as Mr. Ickes is concerned. Perhaps the
committee might meet in his absence if we have some other matters.
 Mr. Ickes, do you think of anything else that could illuminate the
 minds of the committee ?
 Secretary Icas. No, Senator.
 The CHAI*MAN. We are very much obliged to you, Mr. Secretary,
 for appearing here this morning, and to your able assistant. When
she loses her job with you, Mr. Ickes,you can send her up to me.
 Secretary Ices. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
 Senator VANDmzme I want to present for the record additional
 testimony from ship operators bearing upon what I conceive to be
 their practically unanimous repudiation of the project.
 The CHarnAN. What you mean is letters and papers, and not
 physical appearance?
 Senator VANDmImEEO. Yes.
 Senator FzrcHia. Haven't you got them in yet
 Senator VANDmNBE. No. Iony ut in so far the original nine
 upon whom General Markham relied for justification, and I pre-
 sented nine showing that none of them would use the canal. And
 the nine did not include, as I see it, the major ship operators in that
 area, and I now have letters from the major ship operators which I
 should like to present for the record at some appropriate time,
 because I think they bear definitely upon the question of economic
 justification.
 The CHAIRMAN. Have you them for the record now?
 Senator VANDENmBEG. Yes; I have them here. I do not think it
 is necessary to encumber the record with the full letters. I would be
 very glad to report very briefly certain excerpts.
 The CHanauI. Suppose you do that. We do not need to have
 the letters in full.
 Senator VANDwNBEzG. All right The first letter is from the
 Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., signed by J. J. Maguire, as general manager
 of the marine transportation department, dated January 3, 1986,
 reading as follows:
 I have questioned bur operating division, as well as the masters on our ships,
 and the unanimous opinion is that as far as we are concerned, this proposed