The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-12-26
German Passenger Ships
To Be Ciuen to England
resident Wilson Directs De-
livery Of Vessels in
y New York Harbor.

Washington, Dec. 26.-(A. P.)-By
direction Of the president, the
rmsr German passenger ships OF
) lmperator group, now in New
>rk harbor, arc to be delivered to
Fsat Britain, the shipping board an
uneed today.
|rhe vessels are those assigned to
. United States after the armi-
Ice for repatriation of American
bops, and designated by the inter-
Ned naval council to,be turned over
4 Great Britain under the armistice
rms. The Imperator already has
len delivered to the British.
,..., LstterFto Lansing.
I'm a. letter to Secretary Lansing.
fitten wednesday night, John Bar
b Payne. chairman Of the shipping
FIJI am directed by the president to
Imply with. the request contained
your letter transmitted to me this
In from the White House, and TO
wise you that the seven ex-Ger-
Ian ships, to-wit: Graf Waldersee,
Rppelin. Pretoria, Cap Finistere,
tobih, Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm,
la Naiserin Auguste Victoria, now
the harbor of New York, will be
elivered to the representative OF
[reat Britain as soon as the proper
erson is designated to receive the
Ame."
|Delivery of these ships to Great
hftain was delayed, as the. shipping
bard, wished to obtain the use OF
he American owned tankers for
herly under the German nag. a
roposal was made by Chairman
Sayne that each country be permit
N 70 use the vessels desired pend
hg Anal determination OF theii
e.,
No action has been taken so raj
N this proposal, and the transfer OF
he former German ships to Grea'
britain is made without any expla-
kation other than that 1t was dons
N the direction of the president.
II Disposal Of Tankers.
New York Dec. 26.-At the office o
he Standard Oil company, which
6aims ownership Of the former Ger
han flag tankers, 1t was said no Wori
had been received as to the disposilio,,
bf the ships. Tho tankers,. twelve ~ y
humber, and aggregating ABOUT V'Uv
Ions, were in Hamburg when the ar
n,istice was signed. 1t was understoo
thev were to be turned over to tn
Oil company. but instead the
<vere ordered to the Firth of Forth 10
between England, Francs
Belgium and italy and the unite
States.
The presidents action. 1t was SAID :
tbe state department followed re
/, uest from Great Britain that the shlp
he surrendered under the, original az
location of the interallied shipp'ng coa. a
rnission whiclrarranged to get the YES
saJs o,,t Of German harbors followin
the armistice. on investigation IT wa
added. the department had found U
United States had no right to retal
the ships beyond the period OF the
service in bringing back America
troops. now completed, and so reporte
to the president. !
white the presidents order puts
AMI u the rrntruversy over me ne Il. sie
;; z Y. y; r. 81; s ssihsss a Ssrnssr
I. .,sr ,ia tbe & Geynan nag. but aow In z
~ifth 6f Forth, under British jurisdi
tict,. remains in doubt. Delay in turl m
Ing % over the German passenger era era
IN Mhv the shipping board. i has be,
understood. was due TO efforts, to o O
tain tjtle to these oil carriers. The la
formal action as to the tankers WI
Inc order of the supreme council
paris that they be held in British Gu
todv until finally disposed OF and ne Z
delivered for operation unueT =
Awards made by the allied commisslo
seven ships are affected by the 0
Jar