The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-04-07

Two hundred and seventy soldiers Of
Uncle Sam. their siickers g'isten,ng in
storm that was wet and cold aud
windy, tramped smartly north through
River street. Hoboken. just before dawn
Yesterday morning. Then under the gen.
eral direction Of Collector Of the Port
Dudley Field Malone the soldiers sepa-
rated into small groups TO guard the
piers. while Mr.. Malone and his armed
neutrality guards boarded in turn
eighteen big German liners along the
water front and In less than an hout.
without hitch or snarl or angry word.
the United States had taken control of
the flower of Germany's mighty mer-
chant marine. approximately worth st3.-
1000
Almost III the same tine. al the foot
Of West l31!h street on the New York
SIDE of the river. Deputy Collec or George
Lamb and his section OF the neutrality
squad together with thirty soldiers
from Governors Island. in the a. me way
took charge Of four more German ships
OF an approximate total value Of &C.
-
ously Deputy Collector George Gass and
slightly more than n score OF men from
the neutrality forces unassisted BY the
army took 100000 worth OF German
ships, four In all
Seizures In Otker cities.
And before the new day was many
hours old German ships had been taken
over at Philadelphia. Boston. Baltimore
In the Canal Zone, the Philippines and
elsewhere that brought the number Of
Inc kaisers vessels now under direct
control Of America to 81 in all. with
tonnage Of about 500. 900 and a value
above Sl25,000.00O. Late in the day
word came unofficially from Washing ton
mat the ships are to be considered the
property Of the United States while the
war shall last which means that Uncle
Sam--onCe the premeditated damage In
nicted upon the ships by their German
officers and crews has been repaired
may use the vessels as transports or
other purposes. in which case Germany
Is to be indennined when the war Is
over
BY taking over" the ships before day
Hight yesterday morning, or almost i'm
mediately after Congress had declared
that war existed. but before the Presi-
dent had signed the proclamation, the
Government theoretically did not ''seiZe"
the ships at Hoboken and other places.
Practically. however. It did that very
thing. Before the day was well ad-
vanced all the officers and members Of
the crews in this port were under guard
en- Ellis Island. the hres in the big
liners had been drawn. Americans only
we're aboard the vessels and in hhll con-
troll Of them. and all that remained was
NJ. - hi 80, -
what American uses. II any, the ships
We're were to be put to.
ships Maehinery Disabled.
. Whatever the damages suffered by the
ships-and with the probable excep-
ION Of the 54,2s2 ton vaterland At
iloboken all the vessels had been partly
disabled in and about the engine rooms
none Of this destruction was evident
or the upper decks. In the liners saloons.
'tsterooms or other living compart-
rents. In fact II was evident that in
rrIpplng the ships Germany gave
thought only ato damage them TEN.
porarily In their motive power regions
IN order 10 embarrass this Government
III case OF seizure. whereas the Ger.
mans had gone TO the other extreme In
preserving all other parts of the vessel
from deterioration while they lay inac-
tive here
Collector Malone was piled with Ques-
"ohs repeatedly by reporters yesterday y
and last night as to the condition,
"hoard the prizes. MIR. Malone consist.
en'Iy refused TO answer any questions
az 10 what had taken place before the
hips were boarded or while he and his
men were aboard. The nearest to ar
answer came when he was asked about
'he machinery. and here the Collectors
'enly vas merely negative.
! can't answer about the ma chi ne ry, =