The Washington herald., 1918-06-22
.UN SHIPPING
7IZEDBYPERU
900 Tons to See Quick
Restoration. Says
Holland.

Holland.
when the news came from Peru a
few days ago that the Peruvian gov
eminent had seized the interned Ger
man steamships. the wonder was of
what avail, ac least for a year or
two. these steamers would be to Peru
or TO any nation to which Peru might
turn them over. A tonnage aggre-
eating 5000 Is the capacity of these
vessels as a whole.
They would be of advantage to the
United State$-at this time. But the
understanding was that when these
steSmers were interned at the port
OF callao. tn. engineers and me-
chanics who were employed aboard
them wrecked the machinery. as they
did the engines and other parts of
the equipment of the interned Ger
man vessels IN New York harbor.
Peru has 10 facilities for repairing
wrecked machinery; at least such
facilities as her government pos
sesses you'd not be SUFFICIENT to make
steamship repairs within a year and
q half or two years. Nevertheless
these steamers will undoubtedly be
speedily repaired. and will very likely
be offered to the United States. They
will be of avail upon the Pacific
Coast; or, by utilization OF the Pan
anna CahaI. would add considerably to
our governments shipping facilities
at this time.
When the engineers and mechanics
who we're employed aboard German
steamships which were interned in
New York harbor occupied their timo
in attempting to wreck the machin-
cry. their presumption was that il
ever the United States took over these
steamers they would be found to be
in such bad condition as to be Of no
value to the government.
The German engineers did not
know that Prof. Elihu Thompson had
perfected an apparatus which could
be well utilizeS in making speedy re-
pairs upon br machinery 1t was
so used and in The course of a few
weeks or two or three months at
the most. the Thomson apparatus.
known as the electric aro-welding ap-
paratus. was so skilfully and rapidly
used that these great steamers be,
came available for the important serv-
ice of transporting soldiers to France.
a service with which they are now
occupied.
Machine shop I'm a ship
1t has not been generally known
10 the public that under the inspi-
ration and authorization of the gov
ernment two or three vessels have
been converted into actual machine
shops and machine shops on a large
scale They carry FORCES. They
can actually cast castings.
They can do work OF this kind
which heretofore has been accom-
plished II only the larger machine
shops and furnaces They are
equipped with the Thomson cleo
trio arc welding apparatus and they
are now in service doing what is
regarded as remarkable, swift and
skillful work in making repairs.
A few weeks ago information was
received at Washington that a Brit
ish steamer was anchored in the
harbOr of Bermuda, because a Sc,
rious accident had happened to her
machinery One of these rep1ir
ships sailed for Bermuda.
The captain of the British vessel
was asked about the accident and
in reply he said that the crank shaft
OF the steamer had been broken
and there were no available faciIi-
ties at Bermuda for making re-
pairs.
Whereupon the American COM
mander said that he had the appa-
ratus and capacity to make speedy
repair of the crank shaft if that
were desired. OF course it was de-
sired. And by utilizing. the electric
arc welding apparatus. this crank
shaft was speedily put into as good
condition as it was upon the day
it was first installed in the steamer
Repairing German Engines
Presumably to some port in the
United States the wrecked engines
and equipment that were in the in
termed German steamships which
Peru has now seized will be brought
or possibly one Of our repair ships
viii be sent to Peru. If the expert
ence with the damaged engines OF
the fnterned German steamships in
NV York harbor is repeated, these
steamers which Peru has now seized
viii be speedily put in condition
for sailing. For it is the under
standing that the same skilled oper-
ators and the same master mechanic
VINO repaired the engines in the
interned steamers in New York will
be commissioned to do like work
with the steamers which Peru has
seized.
The electric welding apparatus.
which Is regarded as one of the
most important of Professor Thom-
sons inventions. has been widely
used for repairing or welding. II
can by means of this apparatus
weld the broken parts of rail
within an hour or two, thereby MAX
ing the rail as good as it was when
irst laid upon the roadbed. But IL
was not dreamt when this apparatus
was first put to commercial use that
within a few years IL would serve
speedily to make good any damage
tnhicted by German sailors upon
me interior works OF interned
steamships.
- The apparatus is easily controlled.
fact so easily that women are now
improved In some cases in operating
u This Is notably true of certain re-
'alrs now m progress near Boston. II
nignt be safe guess to say at Fore
RIVER Although the operation of the
apparatus requires steady hand and
m accurate eye. vet II entails no
'hysical labor of any consequence.
q IL has, therefore. attracted In or
near Boston a number OF women
ionle OF whom were. before the war
oeEan. Of prominence in the rather
exclusive circles of Boston. Since we
entered the war these women have
jeen occupied with war work Of yari-
rus kinds. notably Red Cross work.
Women Operate Them
Now 1t Is possible for those who are
privileged to witness the operation