The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-01-11
SEIZED GERMAN
SHIPS IN SERVICE
Damage Done to 100 Vessels Re.
paired by Processes
Deemed Unique
HOPES OF FOE ARE BAFFlED
Written Orders Show Central Author.
ny Gave Instructions fer Making
Craft usetess-NsVy Makes
Great Record

WashIngron.-Every one Of the 1ns
German ships seized By the United
States Is IN the transport or cargo
service, the damage deliberately done
to their engines having been repaired
thoroughly.
This Information was given out b.
the committee on public Information in
the course Of statemenr which again
confirmed the stories Of the destrue-
ton secretly performed By German
crews By orders from Berlin.
In the statement the committee says
that ..rhere Is evidence that German
central authority gave an order for de-
structton On these ships effective on
. or about February /, 1917, simEltane-
Gus with the date set for unrestricted
submarine warfare. and that the p1r-
pose was to infier such VITAL darlage
TO the machinery Of all German shfps
In our ports that none could be oper-
ated for from IS months TO ew0 years.
This purpose has been defeated ia sfg-
nal fashion, n less than eight mouths
all the ships were In service
COMMITTEES Tells Of Repairs.
In describing the means taken By
the government 10 repaiF and reclaim
three ships the public Information com
niittee says.
There is documentary proof that the
enemy believed the damage lrrepara.
Die.
To obtain new machinery would
lave entailed prolonged process of
design, manufacture and Installation.
Urged b. the necessity Of conserving
time, the engineers Of the navy. depart
ment succeeded By unique means IN
patching and welding the broken parts
and replacing al Of the standard parts
which the Germans detached from
their engines and destroyed or threw
overheard !
The mechanical evidence Is that
the campaign Of destruction was oper.
ated on these ships for more than TWO
months and that the Germans were
convinced thar they were nlakiEg
thorough Job Of It. Their scheme Of
ruin was shrewdly devised. deliberate
~ executed. and 1t ranged from the
plugging Of steam pipes to the utter
demolition Of boilers by dry firing.
When the United States shipping
board experts first surveyed the ruin
the belief was expressed that much
new machinery would have to be de-
signed, manufactured and Installed.
making is months fair minimum estt-
mate Of the time required. However, :
at the navy department. where the
need Of troop and cargo ships was an I
urgent issue- officers 81 the bureau OF
Steam engineering. having faith that
the major portion Of the repairs csrid :
De accomplished by patching and weld +
Ing. declared IT was possible to clear r
me ships for service By Christmas. and 7
The last Of the feet actually took her L
hnal sea test and was ordered into v
'erviee as Thanksgiving gift to the >
nation
Many Volunteered Service.
TO accomplish this end the navy !,
department. secured the services Of Ill
VALUABLE machinery veiders and n
'atehers, many Of them having hem
oiuntarfIy offered By the railroads. =
Most Of the time that essused be-
ween the date On which vork uas be- L
IN and the date on which the Iast
MP was put into commission after
lgorous tests was. In fsct, cfargeabse T
50 to the actuaI repair work ttrn
the tedious task Of dfsrnsntiine ali n.
lachinery from bow to Stern u every
ZIP for inspection. thus eliminating
1ery chance Of overlooking cnnceaIed NJ
utilization"
The governnent's repair forces Jo
orked always in apprehension OF con- G.
.aled explosives They found every FIR
here On the ships instances II ertfui &c
De plugging Of co1cealfng teel nnfs
"a bolts In delicate cylinders Of de- 10
sizing ground glass In oil pipes end f@,
aings. Of eunninziy changed IndI- w
tors. Of filling fire extinguishers With Ho
solene. The statement goes On to
y. j.
Inc method Of patching and weld n
broken marine engines had never !.
fore been practieed, although the Art
3 been known in the railroad indus
Tor u years. Three methods Of W
tening were used; electric Welding =
lacetyiene welding and ordinary ne =
anical patching. the latter often later ~
ng welded Following the repairs !,
rs Of the machinery we're first made r. -
the docks, where the ships were We
he'd firmly to the piers while the pro len
iers were driven at low speed. and
er each ship was taken to sea for cha
orous trial tests. The patches and ARC
Ids we're reported as having given VIII
nplete satisfaction. W.
The former German liners. sailing
Ter distinctiveiy American names, Iohl
fitted IS troop and cargo sims Fra
a is convertible to completely Me
tipped hospital ship for return yoy- SAN
service The feet Of seized ner-
ntnen added 10000 tons to the 6.
erican merchant marine. 9
NJ