Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-02
HARb0R CLOSED
FOR Time BEING
Ship Owners in Quandry as
to Whether or Not to
Risk Their Boats

New York, FeO. 1.-lne eHecL VI
Germany's declaration Of sea block
ade of the entente nations to be en-
forced with every available weapon
and without further notice" was felt
today in every port on the Atlantic
coast. Owners and agents Of vessels
flying neutral flags were in doubt as
to their future, course of action and II
is believed that most of them will
keep their ships in port until 1nstruc-
tions are received from heir govern
ments.
In Offices Of British and French lines
it was said that there would be no
interruption in the sailing from Amer
lean ports of ships carrying the hags
of the entente allies. To meet Just
such an emergency as this the British
government has assembled. VT was
said, a large fleet Of small fast cruis
ers to be used as submarine chasers
These vessels, said to number 1000
will be available to keep the sea lanes
clear of raiders and submarines am
act as conveys.
Danger Not Immediate.
P. A. S. Franklin. president of the
International Mercantile Marine and
head Of the American line. declared
81 do not think there is any danger
for American ships on their present
voyages" Halvoord Jacobson, repre-
sentatives of the Scandinavian-Ameri
can line and William Van Doom, man
ager of the Holland-American line ex
pected to receive cable Instructions
today from their governments. Ne1tn
Ter Of these lines, it was said. has car
ried munitions Of war or contrabano
since the early days of the war.
Shipping men pointed out that the
most obvious effect of the German
declaration would be the reduction In
the tonnage which the freigh ships
Of the European lines could carrv or
account of the increased space which
would have to be sacrificed to carry
coal and provisions for one continuous
VOYAGE from American ports to neu
/ tral ports. Hitherto neutral ships
have relied largely upon British ports
| to renew their supplies.
New York Harbor Closed.
No shipping of any kind was per
mitted to leave the port of New York
last night. The harhor gates were
closed by Dudley Field Malone. col
lector Of the port. who has full author
ity to act upon his own initiative ir
case of emergency. Mr.. Malone die
not disclose his ideas as 20 the nature
of this emergency but after stationinE
two destroyers off quarantine. where
the harbor narrows like the neck o
bottle. the federal officials devoted
most of their attention to the German
merchant feet which has been in
termed here since the beginning of tho
war.
Interned Ships Watched.
! Collector Malone called upon th'
| police in New York and Hoboken To-
assistance and sent SQUADS Of men t.
assist the guards which have heen OF
duty at the piers where the German
vessels lie. A thorough search by th'
neutrality guards disclosed no evi
dence of any preparation to justif,
rumors that the Hamburg American
and North German Lloyd liners wer'
preparing to escape from the harbor
A rumor that the crews Of these shin
would attempt to scuttle their vessel
and destroy the machinery proved ur
true. so far as the federal official
could ascertain. Crowds gathered II
the neghborhood OF the German lin
docks in Hoboken and New York Il
response to rumors that a giganti
plot of some kind had been discovered
Oflcials of the Hamburg-America
line asserted that their ships had o
board only enough coal for heatin
and cooking purposes. Soon after mit
night many Of the policemen sun
moned to aid, the federal detective
were sent home. but an augmente
guard was still on duty at the Germa
docks this morning.