The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-17
GOVERNMENT SHIP CONTROL,
STEAMSHIP LINES PASS To fht,y.
ERNNIENT HANDS. !"
President Issues Proclamation Conn
mandecrlng Clyde, Mallory, Mcr-
chants and Miners and Southern
Resulting In Unified Atlantic and
Gulf System After Saturday.

Washington, April 11.-Leadiny
Atlantic and Gulf steamship lines. will
be unified Saturday under control Of
the railroad administration.
President Wilson by proclamation
today commandeered the Clyde, NAL
lory, Merchants & Miners and South
ern Steamship lines and assigned
them to the supervision of Director
General McAdoo, who already had
control of railway owned lines, the
Ocean, Old Dominion, Southern Pa
cific, Baltimore Steam Packet and
Chesapeake Steamship Companies.
This action adds 63 coastwise yes
sells averaging $500 tons each to the
48 other .coastwise ships already un-
der government management, maxi
ing a total Of III vessels, aggregating
nearly 100000 tons. These will be as
signed to carrying coal and other ma
terials between Hampton Roads and
New England, cotton from the South
to New England and other traffic
which will result in relieving rail
transportation. Under private man.
agement it is said many of the ships
taken over under the proclamation to-
day have been running on infiexible
schedules and routes, often carrying
light cargoes, at least one way, 'and
have not lent themselves entirely to
the exigencies of the railway and port
congestion.
One off the first steps of the gov
ernment will be to place q greater
number of the vessels in the coal car
rying trade between Hampton Roads
and New England to provide for re-
serve fuel for next winter.
The new duties entrusted ito the
railroad administration may be met
by reorganization Of the marine
transportation division, it was said to-
day. one branch may be given charge
of ocean shipping. and another Of
lakes traffic and inland waterways,
the greater use of which is planned
by the railroad administrators as
soon as survey now being made is
completed. sf Y.
OF the 6S ships, 80 belong TO- the
Clyde Line, IA to the Mallory, Is to
the Merchant and Miners and six to
the Southern. .,., fg3ei
The president specified that the
companies are to be compensated at
a lust, and reasonable" rate 10 be
agreed upon between them and istsec-
tor McAdoo. This probably will be
onaa fixed rental basis. ~
The communicating actions was
taken under the clause of the 1915
army appropriation bill, which grant.
ell the president authority to take
over the railroads or any other trans
portation lines. 1t is supposed that
the companies shall not pay dividends
inJ excess of the usual rate In three
years ending June 80 last, except
with the director generals approval.
The government operation is to be-
come effective at 1901 O'Clock Satur-
day morning and applies to all the
wharves. docks, warehouses and other
operating facilities Of the lines as
we'll as to the ships. For the present,
running schedules, crews and COM
pany managements will be maintain
ed
Coastwise shipping was included in
the order last October placing under
control of the shipping board all
American vessels of $500 tons and
over.
1t has been the view of the ship
ping board that coastwise shipping is
an element of internal transportation
and therefore should be controlled by
the railroad administration.
The methods of operation used by
the shipping board may be followed
by the railroad administrator in
handling the coastwise vessels. One
Is to take the vessels on the "bare-
boat basis, the railroad administra-
ton furnishing crews, assuming all.
direction Of the vessels. The other is
to return the vessels to their owners
Tor management by them. The ship
ping board pays $415 a ton for bare
boat leasing and 81 where the COM
pany furnishes crew and pays all 9TH
er expenses. All income from the
ships accrues to the United States gov
ernment
GEN BRAVO DEAD.