henry l. roosevelt, assistant secretary of the navy, announced, within a week of nira being signed, that the construction of the two "erie"-class gunboats would be awarded to the new york naval yard and the charleston naval yard, at a cost reported anywhere from $2 million and $4 million, in various press accounts. later, in december 1937, at hearings before the house appropriations committee, it was reported by the navy department that the cost of the "erie"s construction and machinery was actually $4,700,216, with her armor, armament and ammunition costing an addition $1,347,000, for a total cost of $6,047,216. in less than 90 days, 1 september 1933, the contracts for the construction of all 32 nira funded vessels, and their names, was announced by the navy department.