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240 single mounts and it appears the most we can handle is 120, splitting we hope with Goss. Later there may be doubles in the picture but it is doubtful if we can handle them on account of Sch'dy, reneging on the sights and gears. So the glowing picture of St. L. and Emmet brought back last week of $18,000,000 of business just waiting for us to sign on the dotted line, has dwindled considerably. I'm not surprised - it was ever thus with St. L., old man super-optimism. The Navy has its back up now too on the enormous amount of tools we need to carry out the program. There probably will be more singles later on, so we may wind up with a nice program in the end but it won't be any pushover. We have some hurdles to take yet especially on machine tool equipment.

The gang broke up at 5 PM and St. L. and I went to the Carlton to clean up, I finally taking up residence in his room, a big twin bed job with so much air conditioning that it felt like stepping into an ice plant - not so good for our colds - he had one too. To my surprise, St. L. who is famed as a near teetotaler, brought out a bottle of scotch and offered me a jolt before we left for dinner. So I took one and he had a damned heavy shot himself - said he carries to put himself to sleep when he has insomnia. We then went over to a French restaurant opposite the Mayflower, a most attractive place. It was outdoors and might well have been in Paris itself - and we dined there without the sound of German guns in our ears - for Paris is soon to fall - it appears inevitable now.