The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-28
Troopships to Be Diverted to
Other Ports as Hospitals
Are Overcrowded.
ONLY 1 FIGHTER ARRIVES
Lieut.. Kelly Returns Unhurt
After a Year Of Battling
With French Forces.

There was only a handful Of returning
lighting men in the troops that came
into port yesterday, a total of fourteen
officers and seven enlisted men who
a-.ached here from France aboard the
naval transport General Gorgas making
m the entire list of army arrivals for
the day.
twenty we're from California. The
twenty-first was Lieut. Luke A. Kelly
Of 100 East 1880 street. Manhattan.
Lieut.. Kelly was attached to a fighting
French artillery unit TOR more than a
YEAR. Almost all the time he was work
ing" amid popping big guns. neverthe-
less despite a year of hard fighting in
the general neighborhood OF the Chemin
des Danes he came out OF the scrapping
without scratch.
The other soldiers aboard the General
Gorgas were attached to the Slxty-flfth
Field Artillery Brigade. They had just
finished their training at a French artil-
lery camp when the armistice was signed
and therefore never had been In battle
wishful though they all were to take a
part in the big show.
Leu Oh fttEts
From statements made by officials Of
the port of embarkation, Hoboken, last
night very few II any of the big troop
ships due to arrive In American waters
after January will come into the port
Of New York. Transport officers at
Hoboken said that hereafter-at any
rate, during the immediate future-the
larger troopships will dock at Boston
or at Newport News. The reason for
this. said the officers, is that army and
navy hospitals in the vicinity of this
port are now more than crowded with
wounded, also that the piers at the port
Of embarkation for some days have been
taxed to limit capacity and therefore
can accommodate none of the bigger
troopships for some days at least.
The Leviathan Is due to pull out OF
her Hoboken pier within a few days,
probably on New Years Eve, for Brest,
thus leaving considerable stretch OF
free space in and around Hoboken. Ney-
ertheless the vacancy left by the Levia-
than will be of little aid SO far as the
incoming troopships of the larger size
are concerned. Only two small vessels
carrying little more than half hundred
troops each. will come into Hoboken dur
ing the next few days.
All the troopships which henceforth
come into the Narrows and upper bay. II
orders sent out yesterday by the Treas
ury Department are obeyed. will pussy
foot home. so far as raucous screenings
Of waterfront whistles and sirens are
concerned Danger to port shipping. ow.
ing to the inability OF shippers and
navigating officers to hear signals amid
the usual uproar of welcome, caused
navy officers of the port to suggest 10
the Treasury Department that the well
coming uproar hereafter be prohibited
while the troopships are coming up the
bay and river.
Text of Order stopping Noise.
An order from Assistant Secretary OF
the Treasury L. S. Rowe therefore was
issued which shuts of the Homecoming
noise. Ewes the freboats no longer will
he permitted to race alongside the in
coming troopships to send plumes OF
misty lace into the air There is a pun
ishment, under the espionage act. OF q
fine of $4,000 or a two year term in
prison. for violating the order.
The new ruling is As follows:
"All such craft shall keep at a dis
lance OF at least 800 yards from incom.
ing transports unless it is necessary &c
approach nearer to permit vessels &c
pass In the ordinary course Of theil
navigation.
THAT such craft shall not blow their
sirens or whistles within a distance Of a
half mile from an incoming transport
except TO give the usual and necessary
navigating signals.
That such craft shall not shoe,
streams of water from their hose within
a distance of half a mile from an in.
coming transport unless necessary to
extinguish a fire.
That no band shall be permitted tc
play in the vicinity OF such transport
while the same Is approaching its dock. -