New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-07
McAdoo Issues Order I'm
mcdiately After Passage of
War Resolution
Value Of Vessels
Taken $l48,674,00O
Customs Officers Board Il
Liners in New York
2,0l4Seamen Held

The ninety German ships which have
lain as refugees in United States ports
for nearly three years were seized yes
terday by the government of the
United States.
Early yesterday morning, immedi-
ately after Congress had passed the
war resolution, Secretry of the Treas
ury McAdoo issued orders for the
seizure. Two hours later the govern
ment was in possession of the great
feet of vessels. valued under present
war rates at Sl4s,G74,O 900.
The vessels crews, who saw to il
several months ago that every engine
would be crippled when United States
authorities finally came on board, Will
be removed to immigrant detention sta
tions.
There they will be regared as aliens
who desire to enter the country. Ihose
who are able to pass the ordinary I'M
migration tests will be allowed TO 20
free The fact that many OF them are
German naval reseryists will not affect
their status.
Future of Ships Not Decided
The future Of the vessels themselves
has not been definitely decided. ON
cials at Washington said yesterday that
they would be placed to Intelligent
use" perhaps as naval auxiliaries' OF
merchant ships, perhaps as transports
Whether they will be contiscated oil
paid for after the war had not peen
announced tonight.
Anxious to observe treaty obligations
strictly. and move in accordance with
international law, officials will examine
precedents carefully before deciding
It is held that the government has
absolute treaty rights to make use OF
the ships, though it is uncertain
whether they can be taken over without
reimbursing the German owners.
In some quarters the position Is
taken that ships Of a value equal to
that of American vessels sunk by Ger
man submarines should be conhscated
outright, but that it would be best to
pay for the others.
Before the crippled merchantmen car
sail again. under strange flag, much
must be done in their engine rooms
All Of them must be placed in drydock
before they can be made seaworthy
and with all of the country's yards
government and private, being driven al
full blast, drydocks are scarce. The
great Vaterland, with its tonnage OF
$1,000, will not fit in any OF the docks
i'm the United States. Before it can
90 into commission again, it will have
TO be towed to Balboa, Panama, and
overhauled there.
Soldiers Aid Seizures Here.
The seizure of the twenty-seven great
merchantmen in New York Harbor took
place under the rifles of infantrymen
from Governors Island. They were no,
needed, for there was no attempt at re-
sistGnce, and few protests on the part
of the 2,014 German seamen. who werr
aroused from their hunks in the dawn
and bundled over TO Ellis Island.
Two hundred men Of the Twenty
second Infantry, lately returned from
the border. were placed at the disposal
of Collector of the Port Dudley Field
Malone by Major General Wood. Thir'
ty-fve of these were sent TO the docS
at One Hundred and Thirty-ffth street
where FIVE German ships were moored
The remainder were assigned TO the
Hoboken piers of the Hamburg-Amer-
lean and North German Lloyd, where
eighteen vessels lay.
At half past four the Collectors car
drew up by the tall iron gate opening
upon the German companies prop
erty. He announced to Captain Hans
Jahka. marine superintendent Of the
Ilamburg-American Line. and Captain
Johann Muller. of the North German
Lloyd. that he had come in the name
OF the government to take over the
ships.