Ripley County democrat., 1918-02-01
SEIZED GERMAN
SHIPS IN SERVICE
Damage Done to 1903 Vessels Re-
paired by Processes
Deemed Unique.
HOPES or FOE ARE BAFFLED
Written Orders Show Central Author.
lty Gave Instructions for Makina
Craft useIess--Navy Makes
Great Record. ,

NTcdt ncCorO. .
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 a German
central authority gave an order for de-
struction on these ships effective on
or about February /, 1917, simultane-
GUS with the date set for unrestricted
submarine warfare, and that the pur-
pose was to inflict such vital damage
to the machinery Of all German ships
In our ports that none could be oper-
ated for from IS 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-
bic.
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 q
thorough Job Of 1t. Their scheme Of
ruin was shrewdly devised, deliberate
y executed, and It 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 a fair minimum est
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.
Ing, declared IT was possible to clear
the ships for service by Christmas, and
the last Of the feet actually took her
fnal sea test and was ordered into
service as Thanksgiving gift to the
nation.
Many Volunteered Service.
"To accomplish this end the navy
department secured the services Of all
available machinery welders and
patchers, many Of them having been
voluntarily offered by the railroads,
Most Of the time that elapsed be-
tween the date on which work was be-
gun and the date on which the last |
ship was put into commission after
vigorous tests was. In fact, chargeable
less to the actual repair work than
to the tedious task of dlsmantling all
from bow to stern Of every
ship for Inspection, thus eliminating
svery chance Of overlooking concealed |
The. governments repair forces
worked always in apprehension Of con-
,ealed explosives. They found every
where on the ships instances Of artful
'ipe plugging Of concealing steel nuts
Ind bolts in delicate cylinders, Of de-
'ositing ground glass In OIL pipes and
'earings, Of cunningly changed indi-
,ators, Of filing fire extinguishers with /
'asolene. The statement goes on to
ay.
The method Of patching and weld
ng broken marine engines had never
'efore been practiced. although the art
las been known In the railroad indus.
~ for 10 years. Three methods Of
atching were used; electric welding,
xiacetylene welding and ordinary me-
hanlcal patching. the latter often later
cling welded. Following the repairs,
ests of the machinery were first made
: the docks. where the ships were
nshed firmly to the piers while the pro-
ellers were driven at low speed, and
iter each ship was tnken to sea for
igorous trial tests. The patches and
'elds were reported as having given
omplete satisfaction.
The former German liners, sailing
nder distinctively American names,
re lifted as troop and cargo ships.
ach Is convertible to completely
quIpped hospital ship for return voy-
90 service. The feet Of seized mer-
hantmen added 100000 tons to the
merican merchant marine.
What has become ar tho nYd-farh.