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91, (Continued) McCone then noted the number of ships in the Eastern Atlantic and in the Baltic and Mediterranean which had turned back. Dillon asked about ships in the Pacific. The President asked whether Soviet ships bound elsewhere than Cuba had changed course. McCone said he would report on this in the afternoon. There was a further discussion of the policy of stopping or hailing non-~Bloc ships. It was decided that all ships must be hailed. Rusk raised the question of discussions with the United Nations. Draft of U.S. reply to the U Thant letter was approved with modifica- tions. It was agreed at the meeting that we must insist upon the re- moval of missiles from Cuba in addition to demands that construction be atopped and that UN inspectors be permitted at once. Bundy reviewed Khrushchev letter to the President of the 24th of October and the Kennedy reply. McNamara raised the question of accelerating or raising the escalation of the actions we have so far taken, expressing concern over the plateau, indicating determination to meet our ultimate objective of taking out the missile sites.