The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-07

German Lloyd and Hamburg-Ameri-
can lines which make il improbable
| the guards will get SO far again
The guards now have to content
themselves with standing watch at
the ends of the piers, to see that the
ships are not approached from the
channel and with patrolling the piers
alongside, to see that they are not
boarded by unauthorized persons or
left by. those who have not the right
to go. The men of the Neutrality
Squad are armed with automatic pis-
tolls.
Philippines Report Puzzled
Even when the neutrality men were
able to go everywhere aboard the
ships it would have been impossible
for them I'd take preventive measures
against damage to machinery. Port
officials have satisfied themselves Of
that, as they have that they have no
right now to say that the owners may
not do with their property wha they
please. The officials were puzzled
yesterday by the reports from the
Philippines that naval authorities
there had taken off crews at the re-
quest of customs authorities, who
charged that there had been "wanton
and lawless'' damaging Of machinery
of German boats tied up there. New
York officials said they knew of no
circumstances under which they
could make such requests.
At the same time it is said that
| il real emergency should arise in
connection with the vessels tied up
here action would be taken without
delay. What would constitute such
an emergency, it was said yesterday,
came under these heads:
An attempt to rush the port with
iout clearance papers, or with clear
ance papers that did not meet the ap-
prevail of the Collector
An attempt to sink a vessel in a
channel, where it would be a menace
or obstacle to navigation.
Il An attempt to blow up or sink a
vessel at its present moorings, on the
ground that this would also come un-
der the navigation laws.
Only One Plan Feasible
It is believed neither OF the first two
attempts could be successfully car
ried out in this port. The third could
be prevented only by the presence OF
some American official at the moment
OF the attempt, and it was in part for
this reason, that the government de-
termined to keep the crews aboard,
arguing that SO desperate an expe-
dent would not be tried when the
crews themselves would be endang-
cred.
Sinking any Of the ships that are
now in slips would have little real re-
suit. 1t was established yesterday
that the huge Vaterland is actually on
the bottom, her slip having silted up
to that extent in the two and one-haf
years she has been there. This is true
also of the George Washington and
the Kaiser Wilhelm II. No one OF
the other ships at Hoboken, it is said,
could sink more than five feet for the
same reason, and most Of them could
only go three or four.
Former inspections by the port Of
fcials were made by more than MEM
bers Of the Neutrality Squad These
came once month. At longer but
| regular intervals there were inspec-
tons by naval constructors to estab-
lish the physical condition OF the YES
sells. The last of these expert exam
nations was made in January, and
1t is for this reason that, it may be
said that the damage was worked
about the time of the new note
Workmen Were at Engines.
The explanation given Monday by
Capt. Peter Scioletich of the Eima lava
that when her engines were supposed
to have been wrecked they were really
being repaired, is said to cover the
damage done to all the others It is
known that workmen had been busy
with the engines, whatever the os-
tensible reason may have been. It
was reported that some of the work
men were still present when the in
spections were made
officials of the two lines declined
yesterday to depart from their prac-
tice of the past two and one-ha1f
years when the reports of damage
were laid before them
| I'VE have not said anything about
lsanything in the past, and we will not
I now" they said.
mo Damage Said Friederichs.
Carl Won Helmott, general manager
spoke for the North German Llovd
line, and julius p. Meyer, one Of its
three managing directors, for the
Hamburg American. Nothing that
could be said to them about the an
usual nature of the reports current
yesterday impressed either as justi-
flying departure from their custom
prescribed by the home offices in Ger.
many.
| Capt. Gustav Friederichs. chief dock
clerk and assistant marine superin-
tendent of the North German Lloyd
at Hoboken, who has been ar Ameri-
can citizen for many years, made the
nearest approach to an official state
ment.
son my honor as a sailor" he said.
there is nothing in the report I
have sent assurances to Collector Ma
lone that there has been no intention
al damage done to any ship Of this
line in the harbor of New York Fur
thermore, the machinery of the ships
are in good condition. If we were
ordered to sail and received clearance
papers, we could leave under our own