New-York tribune., 1918-01-30
Seizure of Teuton Vessels
Has More Than Offset
Damage by Submarines
Loss Percentage Small
Bottoms Requisitioned Here
Add Greatly to Strength of
Merchant Marine

In tho twelve months Of unrcstrictod d
warfare launched against American and
Allied shipping by Germany ono year
ago next Friday, there have been sunk
by submarines. mines and raiders sin
tyninc American vessels, total'inc
l11,06l gross tons, according TO Il care
full compilation Of records which hay.
been made public during the period.
Otfsctting this loss of American vcs-
sets. most of which were sailing ships,
the United States since February has
added to her merchant marine by the
seizure Of former German and Austrian
owned ships. total Of 107 vessels HAY -
ing Il gross tonnage of CSC, ,49t, leaving
on the credit side Of the American
ledger net gain Of 5l5,135 gross tons.
The loss of life caused by tho sinking
Of the siNty-ninc American ships WAS
moro than 500 persons.
Sinkings Comparatively Small
can ships compared with the number
Of vessels which have sailed through
the war zonc successfully is small.
Records of the Department Of Com
mcrcc show that for the period begin
ming with February /, 1917, and ending
with December there were cleared
from American ports in tho foreign
trade ships aggregating l1,73S,90O net,
or approximately 24.S3i 400 gross, tons
The number of ships making up the
total Of tons was not made public by
the department.
Further ofrscttng the loss Of ton
mage occasioncd by The submarine war
fare. the United States, through the
Shipping Board, rcQuisitioncd in Amcrl
can shipyards A26 vessels, totalling
more than 100000 gross tons, and
contracts have been awarded for SS4
ships, A large number OF which arc
now under way and arc being rushed
to completion. In addition, the Ship
ping Board on October Is last placed
under government rcQusition 393
American vessels of over 1900 tons
dead weight capacity, which were al
them to the task Of carrying supplies
for the Allies and the American forces
abroad.
Included in these requisitoncd YES
sells were twentyonc ships in Great
Lakes trade, and in addition there we're
commandcercd twenty-four steamers
building on the lakes for foreign ac
count and ready for launching. Nir
tually all of these were brought to
Atlantic Coast ports and Immediately
put into service. Almost ne-half of
them had to be cut in two to get them
through the Welland Canal, but the
task was accomplished and the ships
rejoined in less than three months
from the time the contract was
awarded.
Another difficulty which faced the
United States in the task of putting
to sea vessels to offset the ravages of
the U-boats was the repairing of the
"wilful damage" done to the former
German ships by their officers and
crews before the ships were seized.
This cost millions of dollars, and in
many instances called for the highest
engineering skill
German Vessels in Service
Indicating that the task has been at
tended by success, the statement was
made to-day by a prominent official
connected with the Shipping Board that
every seized vessel was now completely
repaired and in service. Many Of them
have made as many as three and four
round trips through the war zone
Three Of the former German vessels
have been the objects of successful at
tacks by submarines. The Actaon, for
merly the Adamsturm, and the Owasco,
formerly the Allcmannia, were sunk,
and the Armenia was hit by torpedo,
but was saved after being bcachcd.
Several other former German ships
have been attacked, but escaped.
The announced sinkings of British
ships for the year up to and including
the week ended January % have been
1,033 vessels, Of which 763 were over
900 tons and 270 were under that fig
ure. The joint losses of France and
Italy have averaged three to four large
vessels weekly.