Evening star., 1919-12-26
FORMER SHIPS
TO co TO ENGLAND
President, on State Depart
ment's Advice, Orders DeIiv-
cry of Seven.

I On Recommendation of the State
| Department, President Wilson has
ordered the remaining seven former
American sroops turned over to Great
Britain. BY his Instructions, the
shipping board announced today, this
action would be taken as soon as a
properly accredited British represent
at,ve was ready to receive the YES
sells. now in New York harbor.
The Presidents action. it was said
at the State Department. followed a
request from Great Britain that the
shlps be surrendered under the orig
! mai ALLEGATION of the interallied ship
ping commission, which arranged to
get the vessels out of German har-
bors Following the armistice. On in
ment had found tikt sas baitsd States tat
had no right to retain the ships be-
bringing back American troops. now
completed, and SO reported to Mr..
Wilson.
Order Ends Controversy.
While the Presidents order puts an
END to the controversy over the Ger
man ships, the status of a number of
Standard Oil tank steamers formerly
under the German flag. but now in
the Firth of Forth under British juris-
dlction, remains in doubt Delay in
| turning over the German passenger
craft by the shipping board, it has
been understood, was due to efforts to
obtain title to these oil carriers The
last formal action as to the tankers
was the order of the supreme council
at Paris that they be held in British
custody until finally disposed of and
be not delivered for operation under
the awards made by the allied COM
mission
Fhn
livered to the British.
Mr.. Lansing Notified.
In letter to Secretary Lansing.
made public today. John Barton
Payne, chairman of the shipping
board, said:
Il am directed by the President to
comply with the request contained
!! in your letter transmitted to me this
day from the White House, and to
advise you that the seven ex-German
| ships. to wit: Graf Waldersee, Yep
pelin, Pretoria. Cap Finistere Mobile.
Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm and Kaiserin
Auguste Victoria, now in the harbor
of New York. will be delivered to the
representative of Great Britain as
soon as the proper person is designated
to receive the same
Delivery of the ships to Great Brit
ain was delayed as the shipping board
wished to obtain the use of the Amer
ican-owned oil tankers. formerly un-
der the German flag. A proposal was
made by Chairman Payne that each
country be permitted to use the YES
sells desired, pending final determine
tion of their ownership.
Await Word on Tankers.
NEW YORK, December 26-At the
office of the Standard Oil Company
which claims ownership of the for
mer German flag tankers, it was said
that no word had been received as
to the disposition of the ships. The
tankers. twelve in number, and ag-
gregating about 10000 tons, were in
Hamburg when the armistice was
signed. 1t was understood that they
were to be turned over to the Stand
ard Oil Company, but instead they
were ordered to the Firth of Forth
for distribution among England.
France, Belgium. Italy and the United
States.
ALLEGATION of the seven eX-German
passenger ships. held here since Sep
tember. will be made by the British
ministry of shipping among the va
rious British lines.
The Zeppelin is to go to the White
Star line. the Prince Friedrich Wilhelm
to the Orient Steam Navigation Com
pany for the far east service, and will
be taken to England by the White Star
line. The Cunard line, which received
the big liner Imperator. will take over
the kaiserin Auguste Victoria and the
same company will deliver to the Penin-
sular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company the steamer Mobile. formerly
the Cleveland. Sanderson & Sons will
take over for delivery to the Ellerman
lines the steamer Pretoria. No an
nouncement has yet been made as to
the companies that will get the Cap
Finistere and the Graf Waldersee.
Crews to handle the ships allocated
are now here, having been brought from
Great Britain prior to the order which
delayed the delivery Of the ships to the
British government.