The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-19
SEIZE UNCLE SANS SHIPS!
CAN'T RE DONE, SAYS WASHING
TON, BUT IN ONE CASE 1T rs.

The Sheriff Has the Chattanooga At Nixon's
Yard, and . Virginia Court EnJoins
the Launching Of the Cruiser Calves.
ten-But the ship VIII he Launched.
RICHMOND, Va, June ls.-N the cruiser
Galveston is launched at the Trigg yards
on Monday, as scheduled, it will be in viola
ton OF the mandate of the Virginia courts
and by force Of arms on the part OF the
Government. Admiral Bowles. Chief of
Construction in the Navy Department,
has already received the opinion of the
Attorney General that force can be en-
ployed to protect the cruiser from inter-
ference. The legal complications. already
vexa.ious, were multiplied this after
noon when Judge Grinnan Of the Chancery
Court of this city, in which court the re-
ceiver of the Trigg yards was appointed,
issued an injunction restraining Lieuts.
Thesis and Groesbeck of the navy. who
have charge of the arrangements of the
launching, from interfering with the
boat.
Mr.. l.. T. Meyers, general manager of the
Trigg works and receiver under the Court,
represented to the Court that great in
ilstice would be done the creditors Of the
Trigg company II the vessel were removed,
and also to the Trigg company, which he
believed would soon effect a reorganiza-
ton and he ready to complete the contract.
The boat is about 90 per cent. completed,
and was to be launched on Monday, to
be taken to Norfolk and finished by the
Government at the navy yard there. The
raval officers here will not express an
opinion They are waiting for further
orders II remains to be seen whether the
Government will come in direct conflict
with the State and use force to secure the
ship
The decision Of the Government in con-
nection with the Galveston also concerns
the big self-propelling ocean dredger Ben
yard which was being built for the Govern
ment in the same yard. This yard Is not in
the Shipbuilding Trust.
ATTORNEY GENERAL KNOBS OPINION.
WASHINGTON June ls.-Attorney- General
Knox to-day handed to the President an
opinion sustaining the contention Of Chief
Naval Constructor Bowles that the Federal
Government would not he bound to obey an
order issued by Virginia court authorizing
creditors to seize the cruiser Galveston to
satisfy claims against the William r. Trigg
Company Of Richmond, which was ged
In building the vessel up to the time the firm
went into bankruptcy. The Attorney-Gen-
eral held also that the Federal authorities
might use force to prevent the seizure.
Naval Constructor Groesbeck and Lieut..
Thesis, who have charge Of work on the
Galveston, have been instructed by the
Navy Department to obey personally the
injunction issued by the Virginia court.
The Department intends, however. to
launoh the vessel on Monday and will
make . show Of force to prevent inter-
ference by the officers OF the enjoining
court, thus afording a basis for a test
case a. to the right Of State or municipal
authorities to interfere with national
vessels OF war.
Between now and Monday the Depart
ment expects to perfect an agreement
with the creditors OF the Trigg company.
by which mere nominal resistance to the
mandate Of the Richmond court will be
recognized as assumption OF responsibility
by the Government for any loss that may
be sustained by the creditors through the
taking of the vessel from the Trigg yard.
The Navy Department holds that the Gal
weston is not an asset Of thas Trigg COM
pany, and this view has been Sustained by
the Acknowledgement
When the Trigg company failed. the
Navy Department took charge of the Calves
ton and continued work on her. Certain
firms which had not been paid for hardware
furnished for the vessel commended that the
Galveston was an asset OF the company,
and therefore attachable. They threatened
that II the Navy Department attempted to
take the vessel away from Richmond to
complete her at the Norfolk Navy Yard
they would prevent 1t by process of law.
The Department decided that it would
take her to Norfolk and denied the right
of any Virginia court, or Federal court for
that matter. to Illustrate its purpose.