The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-24
AMERICAN LINERS WILL
NOT SAL UKARMfO
President of Company Says Wants
Naval Guns and Gunners
Put Aboard.

we will sail the four mail steam
ers of the American line with pas
sengers, mail and cargo only on CON
dition that the navy department puts
guns and naval gunners aboard" said
Mr.. Franklin. These vessels carry
from zoo to 400 men in their crews
ana about as many passengers. We
are not inclined to place the lives OF
seven or eight hundred people In
Jeopardy by sailing the vessels at this
time.
Can Find No Guns.
We have tried to get guns and
have searched every source. No guns
are obtainable. AS private corpo-
ration We have come to the conclu-
sion that 1t Is not our duty to try
and arm these vessels ourselves. We
feel that we should have the benefit
of the expert advice Of the naval au-
thorities. We have no facilities for
securing trained gunners. Such men
ployment agencies
THE vessels are all coaled and
ready to sail. but they will not leave
tho port Of New York as merchant
men until guns and gunners have
been placed aboard by the navy de-
partment."
Regarding the two intermediate
American liners, Kroonland and Fin
land, Mr.. Franklin said that they
would be put in service again as soon
as they have been converted into oil
burners. The Kroonland is here and
the Finland on her way here from
Liverpool
No word has been received from the
munition- carrying American freight
ers Orleans, Rochester, Dochra and
City OF Puehla, According to Philip
Deronde. president of the Oriental
Navigation company. owners OF tho
Orleans, she should be in Bordeaux
tomorrow. The Rochester. Of the
Kerr steamship lines is not due in
the same port before Monday. The
two other vessels are due at Havre
Wednesday.
Verdi on For Genoa.
Armed with two three-inch. quick
firing guns. one at her stern. the other
mounted on the bow. the italian liner
Giuseppe Verdi. held in port for more
than week. sailed today from her
Jersey City pier for Genoa with lbs
passengers. Her cargo consisted Of
21o horses, 10s mules. foodstuffs, a.
900 barrels of oil and several sacks
OF mail
New York. Feb. 2s.--On his return
from conference with Secretary of
the Navy Daniels. in Washington to-
day, p. A. S. Franklin, president OF
the International Mercantile Marine
company. made clear the position OF
the four American liners that are
being held in port
These vessels are the ST. Paul, ST.
Louis. New York and Philadelphia. and
under thu postal act can be re-
QUESTIONED by the government at any
time, Mr.. Franklin declined TO state
the nature of his discussion with Score
tary Daniels. but he limited that the re.
ports that the navy department had
made plans to take over the vessels are
without foundation.
Arrivals and saiIingx.
One British steamer with passengers
and freight, and one French vessel with
cargo only left port late tonight. Their
destinations were not announced. The
tanker Iroauois from London. towing
the barge NRvahoe. and the freishtsr
Stentor. both British. reached port to-
day from Liverpool. The Atlantic trans
port freighter Manchuria. dying the
American flag. reported from Nam
tucket tonight that she would reach
port tomorrow morning.
The American frsighter. John q. Mo-
Cullogh was today reported a. hav-
ing reached Falmouth Monday. She 70
one of the first American vessels to
reach an English port since Germany's
declaration OF Unrestricted submarine
blockade"