New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-13
BOUGHT BY A SPANISH LINE
THE COLUMBIA AND NORMANNIA THE
PROPERTY OF THE COMPANlA
TRANSATLANTICA.
REPORTS THAT TIE NORTH GERMAN Lion
STEAMERS THE sAAIE AND SPREE. HAVE
BEEN SOLD TO A LONDON FIRM FOR
THE AMERICAN LINE OR THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

BEEN SOLD TO LONDON FIRM FOR
THE AMERICAN LINE OR THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
The two Hamburg American Line steamships.
Normannia and Columbia. which were offered
for sale 10 the United States Government last
week have been sold to the Comparia Transit
lantloa OF Barcelona This company operates hneS
OF steamships between Spain and West Indian
ports ana also between this port ard West indian
ports
1t was reported from Hamburg that the North
German LLOYD Line had sold the Saal' and the
Spree TO Morse & Co. OF London. and tha' !. was
not known whether they haG been bought ioi ''o
American Line the United states Government.
At the Ncw-York office OF the North German Lloy"
Line it was said by Gustav II. Schwab that ne haH
not heard OF the sale. his first intmation hclns
from the afternoon papers. THE Hamburg Ameri-
can Line has" said he. "alredy offered TWO OF us
ships TO the United States Government lhe'r
names cannot give for business reasons VI 'he
sale Of any steamers TO the United states or 10
Spain l know nothing II do not hear by morn
ing | will telegraph TO the company oihces
abroad for information"
At the Office OF the American Limo. clement a.
Grlscom. jr. said that the American Line had not
bought the vessels.
Emil Boas. the New-York agent Of the Hamburg
American Line said yesterday 10 Tribune re-
porter: "On Monday OF last week went to Wash
ing,on and offered the Normanna and the Column
bia for sale the Navy Department. and later /
Informed the officials that II they desired to pur
chase the ships | would at once inform my com
pany by able heard nothing from the Navy
Department the subject and rs" days later
was informed by company that the tHo steam
ers had been sold TO Morse & CO. or LONDON ms
morning received dispatch saving mat Morse *
Co had sold the vessels to the Spanish line. Mt
Boas added that personally he would have pre-
ferrcd 70 see the NormanniH ana IN" 'olumha ny
ing the American flag and he said that last week
ne had also offered in behalf OF his company to gel
the Fucrst Bismarck 70 the United states, anu
that his offer still remained onon
j NJ Cchallos the American agent % the Com
pania Transatlantica. when seen AZ MS once AZ
No. q Wilam-st.. said that he had not heard or
his company buying the steamships. II might hc
true and II might not. he added. lie thought That
II the transaction had aiken place IL had no speca
significance. as the company had large Meet OK
vessels
Tho Impression prevailed widely In naval circles
Yesterday that the two Hamburg American liners
would be transferred 20 ia. spanish Government
and might he ntted out auxiliary cru-"rS IN chSc
OF war with this country dispatch geo. 'lF"d r. n
Uauhurr last night said that the Normannia and
tho Columbia had sailed FOR London. But MI Boas
said that he understood the steamers were 20 sail
for Ca1iz to be turned over 10 the purchasers al
that city.
The Columbia was built by Laird Brothers ~
Birkenhead in 1889 She is t55 feet long has beam
Her tonnage Is no Tho Normannin Mas butt IN
1890 at Glasgow by the Fairnch Company. she ia
80 feet long has n beam o. - feet inches ana A
depth OF a feet Her best days avcrag" was u =
knots Neither she nor the Columbia IL among the
fastest OF the Hamburg American Lines vessels.