The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-01-04
SEIZED GERMAN
SHIPS. IN SERVICE
Damage Done to 109 Vessels Re-
paired by Processes
Deemed Unique.
Written Orders Show Central Author
lty Gave Instructions for Making
Craft Useless-Navy Makes
Great Record.

Washington.-Every one Of the 100
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 by
the committee on public information in
the course Of statement which again
confirmed the stories of the destruc-
ton secretly performed by German
crews by orders from Berlin.
In the statement the committee says
that there is evidence that German
central authority gave an order for de-
struction on these ships effective on
or about February 1, 1917, simultane-
GUS with the date set for unrestricted
submarine warfare, and that the pur-.
pose was to infiict such vital damage
to the machinery Of all German ships
In our ports that none could be oper-.
ated for from 18 months to two years.
This purpose has been defeated in sig
nal fashion. In less than eight months
all the ships were in service"
Committee Tells Of Repalra
In describing the means taken by
the government to repair and reclaim
three ships the public information COM
mittee says:
There is documentary proof that the
enemy believed the damage irrepara-
BILE. :
ITO obtain new machinery would
have entailed prolonged process of
design, manufacture and installation. !
Urged by 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 all 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 that they were making a
thorough Job of 1t. Their scheme of
ruin was shrewdly devised, deliberate
ly 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 1S months fair minimum esti-
mate OF the time required. However,
at the navy department, where the
need Of troop and cargo ships was an
urgent issue, officers of the bureau of
steam engineering, having faith that
the major portion of the repairs could
be accomplished by patching and weld
ng, declared 1t was possible to clear
The ships for service by Christmas, and
he last Of the feet actually took her
1nal sea test and was ordered into
service as a Thanksgiving gift to the
lation.
Many Volunteered ServIea
ITO accomplish this end the navy
department. secured the services Of oil
lvallable machinery welders and
'atchers, many of them having been
offered by the railroads.
"MOst Of the time that elapsed be-
ween the date on which work was be-
'un and the date on which the last
hip was put into commission after
1gorouS tests was, In fact, chargeable
ess to the actual repair work than
o the tedious task of dismantling all
from bow to stern of every
hip for inspection, thus eliminating,
very chance Of overlooking concealed
1utilation."
The governments repair forces
7orked always in apprehension of con-
ealed explosives. They found every,
here on the ships instances Of artful
ipe plugging Of concealing steel nuts
nd bolts in delicate cylinders, of de- .
ostting ground glass in oil pipes and
earrings, Of cunningly changed indi-
ators, Of filling fire extinguishers with
asolene. The statement goes on to
~.
"The method Of patching and weld
Ig broken marine engines had never
efore been practiced,, although the art
as been known In the railroad indus
y for Is years. Three methods Of
atching were used; electric welding,
Iiacetylene welding and ordinary me-
lanical patching, the latter often later
ling welded. Following the repairs,
'sts Of the machinery were first made
the docks, where the ships were
shed firmly to the piers while the pro-
'llers were driven at low speed, and
ter each ship was taken to sea for
gorous trial tests. The patches and
elds were reported as having given
mplete satisfaction.
The former German liners, sailing
lder distinctively American names,
e fitted as troop and cargo ships.
lch Is convertible to a completely
luipped hospital ship for return yoy-
e service. The feet Of seized mer-
antmen added 100000 tons to the
nerican merchant marine.
What has become Of the old-fash-
ned theOrist who asserted that It was =