Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-06
Government Officials Make
Quick Move as First
Step In War.
CREAM OF KAISER'S
MERCHANT MARINE
Among Vessels Taken Over Is Water
land, One Of Greatest Ships Afloat-
Seizures Made in Philippines, Aa-
waii and Porto Rico az Well as at
United States Ports-Crews From
Ships in New York Held Prisoners.

New York, April 6.-The seizure OF
German merchant vessels that took
refuge in Atlantic ports at the begin
ming of the war began this morning al
most Immediately after congress
passed the war resolution.
The collector Of the port at Boston
was the first to act. The federal Of
ficials at New London, Conn, Balti-
more and New York quickly followed.
Before daylight United States dep
uty marshals were in charge Of these
vessels, ranging IN size from the ma
jestic vaterland. Of 54,2s2 gross tons.
to small sailing vessels. The port Of
ficers acted on orders issued by the
secretary of the treasury.
Measure Of Safety"
1t is understood that this move does
not involve confscation but that the
vessels are held for the present as a
measure of safety.
There has been no announcement
whether the government shall take
over the vessels for its own use and
pay for them after the war. The Ger
man vessels number ninety one in
cluding twenty-three vessels at Phil
lppine ports and several at
Honolulu. There are twenty seven Ger
man ships at New York anchored on
both sides OF the Hudson river and off
Staten Island. five at Boston, three at
Baltimore, three at Philadelphia, two
at San Francisco, two at New Orleans,
two at Southport. n. c., two at Astoria,
Ore, one each at Portland. Ore: Win
slow, Wash. Norfolk, Savannah,
Charleston. Jacksonville, Fla, and San
Juan, Porto Rico.
Flower Of German Marine.
The total includes two German war
vessels which have been interned. The
ships lying at their slips at New York
and Hoboken include some Of the flow
er Of the German merchant marine.
The Vaterland one Of the largest ves-
sells in the world, Is by far the most
valuable. Next in size Is the George
Washington. $3.50 tons. Others OF
more than $1,000 tons are the President
Grant, President Lincoln and Kaiser
Wilhelm II. -Four Austrian steamships
also are tied up here.
The first vessels taken over were
the Hamburg, Koenig. Wilhelm II.
Prinz Eitel Friedrich. Prnz Joachim
and Allemannia, in the Hudson river.
These ships total 3S.12s tons. and there
are forty-o officers and 173 men in
tn /, crews.
. Crews Held a. Prisoners.
The boarding party comprises dep
uty marshals and collectors, immigra-
tion agents and United States infantry.
When they took possession some OF
the Germans were disturbed but for
the most part they exchanged jokes
with the officers. The prisoners were
taken to Ellis Island pending orders as
to their disposition.
Captain Litner. Of the Wilhelm II,
and several sailors protested against
this procedure, saying they had Amer
lean citizenship papers. 1t was de-
cided to detain them until their status
was announced in Washington.
Vessels Seized.
The following vessels were seized:
At New York-Deputy marshals
seized the German merchant vessels,
twenty seven in number.
At Newport News-The Arcadia, Of
the Hamburg-American line, the only
German merchantmen In this pvrt, was
taken in charge. The Austrian steamer
Budapest, lying by the side Of the
Arcadia, raised the Austro- Hungarian