The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-05
MATER OF OOA.JYS FOR STEAMERS NOT
 DETERMINED UPON
No Disasters Reported To American Ships Now En Route From England.
 Dearth of Shipping
NO CONVOY PROVIDED
 FOR THE ST. LOUIS

New York, February 4.-No decision had been reached by the government authori- ties late tonight as to whether 8 convoy should be provided for the American line steamship St. Louis, scheduled to sail from this port at noon tomorrow for Liv- erpool The question is still being consid- S. Franklin, president of the International Mercantile Marine, owners of the Ameri- car line, announced at 10 o'clock tonight that the steamship Philadelphia, which passed Fastnet at Il o'clock last night, was expected to arrive at Liverpool tomor- row morning. The vessel is proceeding slowly, he said, because of broken pro- peller
 The last wireless message from the Philadelphia's commander was the one last night, which told of her passing Fastnet Mir. Franklin said he expected no further word from the Philadelphia until she docked at Liverpool tomorrow, as it was not customary to send out wire less messages while passing through the war zone around the British isles.
 He declared emphatically that he would be informed at once if disaster befell the vessel.
 The Finland is due at Liverpool at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning and the St. Paul is due at New York at any time now.
 FRENCH LINER SAILS
 Twenty-six Americans were among the passengers who sailed tonight on the French line steamship Rochambeau for Bordeaux. The Cunard liner Carmania and the Atlantic troop line steamship Manhattan also sailed today. The Car mania carried IS passengers. Persons were not permitted on the piers to say vessels.
 Officers of the White Star liner Cedric and the scandinavian -Ameri- can line steamship Frederick VIII, which arrived here today, reported dearth of shipping in the lanes these vessels travelled. The ocean appeared to be deserted, they said. The Cedric did not sight ship from the time she left Liverpool and the Frederick VIII passed only sailing vessel while one day out from New York
 Julius G. Lay of Washington. Amer ican consul general at Berlin, arrived on the Frederick VIII.
 MALONE ISSUES STATEMENT
 Mir Malone issued the following 8 statement from Hoboken, where most of the North German Lloyd and Ham, burg American steamships are docked:
 sT have come here in accordance with orders from the treasury depart ment at Washington to lend assis- tarce to and cooperate with the de- partment of immigration in passing upon the status of the officers and crews of all self-detained ships in the port of New York. I am here for no other purpose. Tn order that there may be cooperation. I have been in con- sultation with the representatives of North German Lloyd and Hamburg American steamship companies
 The collector asserted that the of ficers and crews of the German ves- sels had not been ordered "forcibly detained" but that they were simply required" to remain on their shirs He refused to discuss the instructions he had received from the treasury de- partment. or the plans of procedure to be pursued by the department of immigration. It was learned, how ever. that MT. Malone was cordially received," by the representatives of the two German steamship lines with whom he conferred.
 Shortly before the doubling of the guard on the steamship piers. the re- port was circulated to the effect that the crews of the German vessels tied up at Hobolxen had put the engines of the ships out of commission.