New-York tribune., 1918-01-12
Senator Declares Load;,.
of Ships in Harbor Should
Be Regulated
Presents Facts to
Baker and Daniel
Urges Dock and Storao.
Facilities Moved to
Long Island
lStdf Correspondence1

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE H.,
ing Of high explosives and anmu,;.;.
on ships in New York Harbor was,,.s
acterized as serious menace to "a.
and property and constantly danps,.r.
to many war industries in the grs,...
city, Senator Calder, OF New Yorl :.
formed Secretaries Baker. Daniels -.
McAdoo to-day in letter recomns,.
ing additional safeguards for the -.
ding Of munitions.
Secretary Of War Baker to.niob,;. :.
dicated that provision soon was n !,
made by the army engineer corns .,.
the War Port Board by which ada;
tional safeguards would be th,o,.
around all munitions in New York w.,
bor. The plan involves storape ~.
dockage facilities in remote NOR, Il.
Long Island.
Made Inspection Tour
Senator Calder made an inspect;o,
trip Of New York Harbor last wael
and engaged one of the best known sy'
plosives experts of New York to stnSv
the situation there. The result of M,
experts investigation was sent to E tbs
department heads mentioned bv San.
ator Calder to-day. -
This expert made a summary NJ hi,
suggestions for relief of the situate.
IN New York Harbor, which follows:
Il. All high explosives in bulk sborp
be taken to Raritan Bay anchorage or to
new anchorage to be established in Ionc
Island Sound. -''NS
2. Lightering of high explosives sboup
all be done by some governmental agenev
sure maximum of safety and cut down er
pense. -
''33 The superintendent of ancho-,.
should be given additional men and boar II
order to promote efficiency.
= No infammable article should i.
permitted on q vessel carrying high ez
ploslves. except in rare cases and under
permission from the superintendent of an.
chorages.
IS. Manufacturers should be compelled
to have two high grade men on loading
work on the lighterage and the other on the
vessel loading. Some of the res esponsibsAsy
should rest upon them.
IS. No lighter should be permitted b
anchor In the jersey flats anchorage yr
more than twenty tons on board without,
special permit from the superintendent
anchorages.
q. All openings in packages should b.
carefully inspected before taken ABOARD tbe
lighter
In reference to the change in regu
lations, the expert points out in his re
port that the bulk Of explosives ex
ported leave the harbor of New Yorl
and that. as expectation Will averac
many millions of tons a month, TIL
danger of explosions should be reduce
to a minimum.
Safeguarding Is Vital
when you remember" he says, "tht
immense tonnage of explosives lying
in the harbor at times and recall thai
there are perhaps 100000 coo people liz.
ing and working within the metropol-
tan district which would be affected BY
an explosion, you Will appreciate the
vital Importance OF safeguarding this
work"
In reference to his suggestion tbs.
vessels be prohibited from carryingil-
hammable materials, he points out that
at the time of the collision between the
limo and the Mont Blanc, which devss.
tated Halifax, the Mont Blanc carried
5000 tons Of benzol, which became
mixed with picric acid and started TO
burn. He declared the resulting explo'
sion was due entirely to this fact