The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-06

New York. April 6--The seizure of :, German merchant vessels that took refuge in Atlantic ports at the be- i ginning of the war began this morning almost immediately after congress i passed the resolution declaring state i of war between the United States and i Germany The collector of the port i in Boston was the first to act The federal officials in New London, Balti- more and New York quickly followed. Before daylight United States deputy l marshals were in charge of German vessels at these points, ranging in size 1 from the majestic Vaterland, of 54,- 1 2S2 gross tons, to small sailing Ves- ] sels.
 The port officers acted on orders is sued by the secretary of the treasury. i 1t is understood that this move does not involve confiscation and that the , vessels are held for the present as a ! measure of safety. I There has been no announcement as to whether the government shall take over the ships for it's use and pay for them after the war.
 German vessels now in American ports mum Der 91 with gross tonnage of about 600,000 This includes 23 ships in refuge at the Philippine Isl- ] ands, II in Honolulu and one in Pago ! rAgo, a port of the Pacific islands There are 27 German ships in New York anchored on both sides of the Hudson river and off Staten Island, ! five in Boston, three in Baltimore, two in Philadelphia, three in San Francis co, two in New Orleans, two in South port, N C., two in Astoria, Ore, one each in Portland, Ore, Winslow, Wash, Seattle, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville and San Juah, Porto Rico. The total also in- cludes two German vessels that have been interned. l.
 The ships lying at their slips at the, Hmburg American and North Ger man Lloyd docks in New York and Hobokep, include some of the flower of the German merchant marine. The giant Vaterland, one of the largest vessels in the world, is by far the most valuable. Next in size is the George Washington, 25,570 tons. Others of more than 15,000 tons are the Presi- dent Grant, President Lincoln and Kaiser Wilhelm IL Four Austrian steamships also are tied up here.
 Sinee the president delivered his war message to congress these ships have been under a heavy guard sta- toned by the collector of the port Their officers have said that lying at their docks since the beginning of the war these vessels have become so fouled and their slips so choked with < mud that it would have been virtual ly impossible for them to get away unless they were extrfcated by dredges. As various times there have been reports that the machinery and boilers have been wrecked by their German crews. but of this there has been no official confirmation.
 The first vessels taken over were the Hamburg, Koenfg Wilhelm II, Prinz Eitel Friedrich. Ping Joachim and Allemannia, in the Hudson river at the foot of f35th street. These ships total 38.1zs tons and there are fl officers and 173 men in the crews,
 The boarding party comprised dep uty nlaTshals and collectors. immigra- ton agents and United States Infan- try. When they took possession some of the Germans were disturbed, but for the most party they exchanged Jokes with their visitors, The crews assembled personal effects and were
 
 as to their disposal. Capt. .Leitnef of; the Koenig Wilhelm II and several of the sailors protested against this procedure, saying they had Ameri- can citizenship papers. It was de- cided to detain them until their sta- tus was announced in Washington. A small guard of soldiers was placed eh each vessel
 The German vessels of 5,006 tons ef more taken ever in this harbof are:
 Vater1and, 54,2S2 tons; George Washington, 25,570; Kaiser Wilhelm II, 1s,3S1; President Lincoln, 1S,16S; President Grant, 1S,o72; Pennsyl- vania, 13,33S; GresseF Kyrfurst, 13,- 102; Barbaressa, 10,984; Prinzessin Irenel, 10,SS3; Friedrich der Crosse, 1. 10,771; Hamburg, 10,531; Koenig Wilhelm II, s,410; Bohemia, S,414; Armenia, 5,464; Adansturn, 5,o0s.
 German vessels of less than 5000 tons seized are the Pisa, Prinz Jea- chim, Prinz Eite1 Friedrich, AHeman- mia, Harburg, Nassevia, Portenia,, Maia, Clara Mennig, and Magdeburg, steamers; the IndFa, a schooner; and the Metador, a bark.
 The total tonnage of these vessels is PTS, ,4S6.
 The tonnage of approximately 90 German vessels in all American ports aggregates close to 594,700.