The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-07-17
FAST SHIPS WILL
! Be COMMANDEERED
Pacific Coast Advices Say Gov
eminent win Take Vessels Of
il Over Fifteen Knots Speed

ID /. Z
Mail advices from San Francisco re.
ceived by yesterdays steamer are not
encouraging to the hope Of long con.
tinuance of present shipping eondi.
land. The faster steamers in coastwise
anl trans0eeehic trade are 20 be
speedily commandecred and taken into
Atlantic trade, Is the understanding in
Coast shipping circles. 81, The slower
steamers will not be intcrfered with,
however, az anything with a speed of
less than fifteen knots Is deemed use.
less in confronting the submarine peril.
Nc specific mention Of the nameI
of vessels likely to be taken is made
and Pacific Coast interests are seeking
TO secure seized German merchantmen
for government trade with Vladivostok
in carrying supplies and munitions &c
Russia. s,t.s ....s.-....
Commenting ON the shipping situa
tion the Daily Journal Of Commerce
says: vi
win Seize Fast vessels 81 x"
Immediate steps are TO be taken BY
the government 10 commander the
fast slips Of the Pacific for trade will
the Allies, according to private des
patches here. Although this action wa,
forecast by an announcement from Sec
rotary of Commerce RedReld, il was not
thought that shipping on the Paei6'
would be affected. II Is now ieIrno6
that the government intends comman
deering all the fast vessels il can ge'
IFS hands on. =.
Meanwhile steps are being takeI
by the council Of national defense Il
supply vessels for the enormous trad,
expected between this port and Vladi
sostok and II is likely that this trad,
win fall to the lot Of slow steamer
not available for the Atlantic trade
The government, Il is learned, has ask
ed the Japanese TO help in handling
this business, while pressure is being
brought TO bear on japan by this coun
. try and by England TO induce her t.
send her merchant ships into the At
lantic. japan il the only nation whicl
has been busy increasing its merchan
marine during the last few years with.
out corresponding submarine losses, Sc
that II is better able now than any OF
the belligerents to ill the breach Great.
ed by the German U-boats. Isl .,
Slow Steamers Not Wanted 49,.
Slow steamers, whether on the Pa
cifc or anywhere else, will not BE-
Communicated for the Transatlantic
trade because they are practically help
less against submarines. The line OF
demarkation is said to be about fit
teen knots.
ZINC need for ships on the Atlantic
has increased greatly with the trans
port Of American troops. to France
Not only will more tonnage be needed
for additional contingents, but the
transport of supplies TO the troops ane
the hospital units will demand NOR,
and more tonnage. Added TO this arc
the increasing demands Of Italy and
France as well as England. The act
uaI losses due to submarines are be
Iieved in Washington to be greatly II
excess Of published figures. 1G$
1.-THE local chamber Of commerce
and local shipping firms are still with
out definite information from the
shipping board as 70 the disposition
Of the German merchant ships takei
over in the Philippines. An effort ],
being made TO have these assigned Il
San Francisco 10 help handle the gov
ernment trade with Vladivostok foI
the Russian armies" g..
A