The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-12
TONS or
HUN SHIPS SOON
TO CARRY YANKS

NEW YORK, Feb, 12.-German ships
of approximately 800, 600 tons, flying
the American flag and furnishing the
United States an additional troop
carrying capacity of more than $4,000
men q month, will be ready to put
cordinE to Edward n. Hurley, chair
man of the United States shipping
board. who returned yesterday on the
transport Leviathan,
In a statement issued upon his ar
rival Mr.. Hurley said an arrangement
had been reached at Treves Jan. II
regarding the turnover of the Ger
man fleet by a commission consisting
of representatives of allied countries
and chose Of Germany,
From information now at hand, Mr..
Hurley said. 1T appears that the total
available German passenger tonnage
suitable for carrying troops Is over
500, 600 tons gross. This estimate does
not include the Bismarck, of 10000
tons gross, which is not yet com
pleted, nor the Imperator, sister ship
Of the Leviathan, which can not be
delivered for several months. Further
more, this total does not include other
large vessels, such as the Tirpitz, Hin
denburg and Columbus, concerning
which no reports have yet been re-
ceived,
THE estimate is based upon listed
tOlllld Sc anu uluI lIlOI IlldllOl pDldlIlCu
from~ German delegates n from a
commission Of American engineers on
board the scout cruiser Chester and
the destroyer Aylwin, bdth now at Bre-
men, and who since Feb. l have been
making a survey of German steamers
in German ports.
THE United States share of this
tonnage should run approximately to
800, 900 gross tons of shipping suitable
for the repatriation Of American troops.
This should give the United States an
additional troop-carryinA capacity of
over $4,000 men per month.
Many Are Ready.
"A number of the German ships are
ready to put to sea at once. 1t is
planned that these shall be manned
temporarily by Germanl officers and
crews and shall proceed Immediately
to British or French ports under the
direction of the naval Iarmistice COM
mission. Upon arrival At such British
or French ports, German officers and
crews will be repatriated and the ships
turned over to the United States navy
TO man and operate for account of the
war department. The navy department,
in anticipation of these new demands,
has made preparations and already as
sembled a large number OF officers
and men to man and officer all Ger
man ships as they may be delivered"
Regarding the shipping situation gen.
orally. Mr.. Hurley had but little to say.
Il am going to Washington today
he stated. 81 will get, in touch with
my colleagues of the shipping board,
and as soon as possible we will get
down to a definite, business-like basis
with reference to the shipping situa-
ton generally. During my absence |
have learned a good deal as regards
to shipping from an international
standpoint"
Mr.. Hurley said he did not consider
the wage question a serious matter.
The wages of seamen of the United
States, Great Britain, Holland and
some of the Scandinavian countries are
now very close together, he declared.
In emphasizing the need of an Amer
lean merchant marine, Mr.. Hurley di.
rected attention to the great work
which is being done by the newly
built vessels of the merchant marine
in exporting surplus food products.
81 Newly Built.
OF the rs vessels making up the fleet
which is rushing the products of Amer.
lean farms and s~tockyards across the
ocean, " fly the American flag. OF
this number "a were built by the pres
ent shipping board, organized in Au-
gust, 1917. These Ga home built ships
represent a deadweight tonnage OF
55b, 430.
The European relief fleet of the
American merchant marine, Mr.. Hut-
ley said, is the largest engaged in any
special service under the merchant flag
The tonnage employed aggregates an
proximately s per cent Of the entire
seagoing American tonnage of 1900
lightweight tons and over. The Feb.
ruary program for food movement fror
this country to Europe contemplates a
shipment OF 200, 600 tops. This program
Ia pXnpCtaH IN inCrpae % FROM, xocnL 4.
month.
To-day" he said, I'VE have 2O7.
sea going. vessels. of 6,470,S 96 gros.
tons, under the American flag, a,
against 1899 vessels, of 1884, 926 grosl
tons OF foreign shipping trading will