Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-25
BRINGING THEM BACK.
All Americans to Be Returned From
France Before Fall.

France Before Fall.
With a steadily increasing tonnage
Of troop ships, 1t will be possible for
the war. department to return to the
United States all troops now in France
by the end Of the coming summer.
This announcement has been au-
thorized by the department to clear the
atmosphere regarding the return Of
troops and the ships available and in
prospect. It does not mean that Amer
lea will not leave in Europe a consid-
erable army to cooperate with the AL
lies.
Under the present schedule, by
March 1 approximately 400, 900 troops
will have been embarked on the other
side for home. During March embar-
cations will reach 100000 possibly 225,-
600. The March capacity will depend
on the usefulness Of the German liners
which have been or are to be allocated
to the United States. Already eight
large German ships, including the I'm
perator, which are at Hamburg. have
been apportioned, and other craft will
be assigned at Bremen.
It is hoped that in April 250,000 men
may be brought, and a minimum Of
225,000 is assured. The rate is then
expected to increase to 800, 900 month
during the summer.
AS the return movement increases
more ships will be diverted from New
York, in order to prevent undue con-
gestion in the port ard in the camps
adjacent to the city. All Of the larger
ships will continue to berth at New
York, and that port necessarily must
handle the larger proportion Of re-
turning troops.
The movement Of returning trans
ports to Newport News, where extern
sive facilities have been provided, is
steadily increasing. A larger use will
be made Of Philadelphia's facilities for
vessels of lighter draught, and Of Bos-
ton. Some ships will be sent to Char
lesion, 8. c., and Savannah, Ca, and
other southern ports, as many large
camps are in the south.
When the Allies withdrew their
ships from our transport service, i'm
mediately after the signing Of the ar
mistice, the army was left with feet
whose carrying capacity was approx
mately $4,000 q month. AS a result
Of negotiations, Allied and neutral
shipping interestsyare again furnishing
considerable troop tonnage, with still
more in prospect. A total Of $4,000
men were brought home in December,
and 114,000 in January. The aggre-
gate this month will be 100000.
Some Of the biggest ships in the
army fleet have had their troubles dur
ing the winter months. For example
the American, one Of the largest liners,
has been out Of service since October
Is; the Mount Vernon, which was tor
pedoed in French waters, since Sep
tember 2S, and the Northern Pacific,
which grounded on Fire Island, since
January /. The big Leviathan lost a
month through turbine trouble on re-
turning after an overhaul in England,
while the Great Northern was rammed
in French waters and was out Of COM
mission from November 19 to Febru-
ary II.
Up to date ten large American cargo
ships have been converted into troop
transports and have sailed from
France. Twenty-nine are undergoing
conversion and fifteen more will be
converted. These fifty-four ships will
aggregate 550,000 deadweight tons.
Since the armistice was signed our
troopships have increased from 400, 200
tons to $1,000 tons. In another month
it will reach $4,000 tons. These fig
ures are exclusive of the large number
of naval vessels converted temporarily
into troop carriers and the ships turn
ed over by Germany.
The German ships ultimately are ex-
pected to carry $4,000 to $4,000 men a
month. The army now has the use OF
British tonnage with a monthly capac-
ity Of 10000 men and other Allied and
neutral ships are transporting troops
at the rate Of 10000 month.