Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-07
SEIZED GERMAN
SHIPS PROPERTY
OF THE !. s. NOW
Interned Teuton Graft Will Be
Regarded as Owned by This
Government and Paid
for After War.
IS NOT FINALLY DECIDED
Port Officials Take Possession
of Hundred Vessels Aggre-
eating 100000 Tons.
CREWS ARE INTERNED
IS NOT FINALLY DECIDED

pullCtiIi,
Washington, April 6.-While final
decision has not been reached, indi-
cations after today's cabinet meeting
were that nearly hundred German
merchant vessels taken over in diff
ferent ports today, will be regarded
as the property of the American gov
ernment and paid for after the war.
New York, April 6.-The seizure
Of German merchant vessels that
took refuge in Atlantic ports at the
beginning of the war began this
morning almost Immediately after
congress passed the resolution de-
claring a state of war between the
United States and Germany.
The collector of the port at Boston
was the first to act. The federal
officials at New London, Conn, Bal
timore and New YorkIquickly fol-
lowed. Before daylight United
States deputy marshals were IL
charge of German vessels at these
points, ranging in size from the Ma
jestic Vaterland, Of 54.282 gross tons,
to small sailing vessels.
The port officials acted on orders
issued by the secretary of the treas
ury. 1t is understood that this move
does not involve conhscation and
that the vessels are held for the pres
ent as measure Of safety. There
lhass Becm~no announcement as to
whether the government shall take
over the ships for its use and pay for
them after the war.
German vessels now in American
ports number ninety-one, with a gross
tonnage Of about 100000. This in
cludes twenty-three ships in refuge at
the Philippine islands, eleven at Hon
olulu and one at Pagopago, a port Of
the Pacific islands. There are twenty
seven German ships at New York an
chored on both sides of the Hudson
river and off Staten island, five at
Boston, three at Baltimore, two at
Philadelphia, three at San Francisco,
two at New Orleans. two at South
Port, N. c.; two at Astoria, Ore; one
each at Portland, Ore; Winslow,
Wash; Seattle, Wash; Norfolk, Va;
Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville,
Fla, and San Juan. Porto Rico.
Largest Ships in World.
The total also includes two Ger
man vessels which have been interned.
The ships lying at their slips at the
Hamburg g-American and North Ger
man Lloyd docks at New York and
Hoboken include some of the flower
of the German merchant marine. The
Vaterland, one Of the largest vessels
in the world, is by far the most valu-
able. Next in size is the George WASH
ington, 25,570 tons. Others of more
than $4,000 tons are the President
Grant, President Lincoln and Kaiser
Wilhelm II. Four Austrian steam
ships also are tied UP here.
The first vessels taken over were
the Hamburg, Koenig, Wilhelm II,
Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinz Joachim
and Allemannia, in the Hudson river
at the foot of l35th street.
These ships total 38,l2S tons, and
there are forty-one officers and 173
men in the crews.
Crews Are Reservists.
Washington, April 6.-Seizures of
German merchant ships in American
ports. according to official statement
today, are measures of safety for
the ships themselves and adjoining
property. The crews aboard are re-
garded as German reservists.
The further question of what is to
be done with the feet now comes up
for consideration. Two courses, It
was said, are open to the govern
ment. The ships may be impressed
into service and paid for at the close
of the war or they may be confiscated
altogether without violating the
terms of the Prussian American
treaty of 1923. Many officials oppose
the latter course unless it should be
decided to take it upon the principle
of taking ship for every American
ship destroyed illegally by sub
marine.
The first step now, at any rate,
probably will be to repair the damage
done to>the machinery of the ships
by their crews on orders of the Ger
man government when diplomatic re-
lations were severed.