New Britain herald., 1917-11-14
FLEETS
 FOR ALLIES''< AID Over 100000 Tons of Shipping ~ Involved in Big Deal

Washington, Nov. '14-The United states is about to add several hun | dred thousand tons of shipping to the stream Of ships carrying American troops and supplies to the aid of the 1 Allies. Negotiations with the north ern European neutral nations and | With Japan for tonnage have reached a nnal stage, and the vessels ob- talned either will go directly into i transatlantic routes or will release American ships for this service. The European neutrals, 1t was learned last night, finally had agreed ] to turn over to the United States and | the Allies ships in exchange for food l stuffs that only America can supply The quantities of food to be furnished i; will be determined later, but the neu- 1 trals have the assurance of the Amer l 1can Government that they will re- l ce1ve enough to meet their necessary requirements.
 Japan will sell outright to the United States large amount of ton mage now in the Pacific in exchange for steel ship plates, the Japanese are anxious to obtain to complete their merchant shipbuilding program. Only the matter of price the Japanese are to receive for their tonnage remains SO bC e"64RCt OII, s1ilu lIltL, IL WdS SdIu last night, would be worked out i'm mediately.
 Negotiations with the Swedish Mis- sion were wound up several days ago and all the missions members, ex- l cept Dr. Fridtjoff Manson, the Chair man, have left Washington to sail for home. The amount of tonnage the ! United States is obtaining has not been known, but there are in Ameri- can ports now more than 100000 tons of neutral ships, which will be put into some American service. Many of the ships will ply between American ports and South America, each re- leasing an American or British yes sel for service through the war zone.
 In it's negotiations, the United States dealt in different manner with each, Norway, Sweden, Holland, l and Denmark. A large part of the Norwegian merchant marine, most of which is owned in Great Britain, al- ready is in the allied service. The Dutch insisted that none of their ves- sells be put into service that would take 1 them through the war zone. Most Of the Dutch ships to be turned over probably will transport to the United States wheat from Argentina and Aus tralia and sugar from Java.
 The entire Dutch fleet, it is under stood, eventually will be used in , transporting supplies to America and in carrying cargoes from America to Holland The Dutch estimate that at least third of the fleet will be required to move foodstuffs and oth- CT American materials to Holland when the United States begins to let I foodstuffs go. Some food probably
 r,;,1 l,o ro]ooSo6 within Doyt month";
 With the question of tonnage out of the way, and the American promise of sufficient foodstuffs for the neutral obtained, there remain two important points to be cleared up. One of these is just how much food the neutrals
 will require. and the other is how far the neutrals may go in shipping sup
 plies into Germany. The first will be
 settled on the basis of statistics sup
 piled to the United States by the
 neutral governments through the
 commissions they have sent here. The
 second presents a more difficult prob
 lem.
 Norway and Sweden, it is said, are
 ready to stop the shipment to Ger ; many of all foodstuffs supplanted by
 supplies from the United States, but
 
 assurances as to dairy supplies.
 Sweden, it is said, will be asked also
 to discontinue the export of iron ore
 and certain other materials to Ger many, and this government, it is stat ed, is determined that no American , cattle feeds shall be used by Holland so long as dairy shipments continue to find their way to the Central pow CTS.
 f Wheat brought to the United States from Argentina and Australia will be
 milled in this country for re-export
 The food administration has decided
 to export no more wheat from the country, but will send out only flour This will save cargo space, furnish ,. foodstuffs for American cattle, and guarantee a supply of flour to keer 3. American mills running on full time 3 No time has been set for turning l | over the neutral tonnage, but the g ships held here now probably will be 1 allowed to receive bunker coal a$