Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-04-17
REBUILD HUN
SHIPSATSEA
FOR YANKEES
Overhaul Liners on Ocean
to Save Time in Re
turning Troops.

Washington. April 17.-German
passenger liners turned over to the
United States for troop transport
service will be fitted out during
voyages instead of being laid up
after their arrival in the United
States Acting Secretary Roosevelt
today said that this plan had been
determined upon by the navy de-
partment so that there would be
no delay in returning the soldiers
from overseas.
The kaiserin Auguste Victoria.
the first of the initial IL German
ships, is due at New York today
with 1,800 officers and men. AS
soon as the troops debark a force
from the New York navy yard will
go aboard to install additional
hunks and other equipment neces-
sary to enlarge the ships troop
carrying capacly. The navy yard
mechanics will continue their work
during the return voyage across the
Atlantic.
The same plan, MFR. Roosevelt
said, will be followed in the case of
each ship.
Plan Larger Fleet
This feet is to be operated by
the Brooks Steamship company of
New York in the transatlantic
trade. Five of the 15 will be oper-
ated out of New York. five out OF
Havana and five out of New Or
leans. Deliveries will be cOmpIef-
cd within short time.
Cargoes for all Is vessels have
been booked in advance and as a
result the purchasers have opened
negotiations for the purchase Of Is
more vessels OF the same type and
for immediate delivery. They also
propose to take over a third feet
OF the same size in the future.
115 Wooden Ships in Service.
The latest figures OF the shipping
board show 115 wooden ships in
service Contracts originally were
let for 703 vessels of this type, but
PA OF the contracts were cancelled
after the armistice.
All of the 4.700 ton ships sold
today. were built in the yards of
the National Shipbuilding corpora
ton of Oregon The five vessels
Of 5000 tons each were built at the
Supple & Ballin yards at Portland,
Ore.
According to the shipping boards
second annual report. contracts for
wooden ships which were let up to
penditure of approximately S165 a
ton. On this basis, the sale today
indicates a loss Of $50 a ton from
the cost production during the war,
total on tho $1,000 tons sold of
SI24G.000
Chairman Hurley has stated that
in the sale or operation during
pc ace Of the feet built during the
war, a substantial writing off would
be necessary to allow for the in
creased cost of materials and labor
while the war was in progress.
First Ship Arrives.
New York. April 1.-THE first
ship to arrive in America of the
German tonnage turned over to the
associated powers under the armi-
stice terms entered this port today
the KaiseriD Auguste Victoria,
bringing home 2,319 American so:-
diers.
The majority of these are of the
Thirty-ninth division. former ma
tional guard Of Louisiana. Missis-
sippi and Arkansas.
Also on the former German ship
were 372 nurses and nine civilians
comprising the Tenth. Fourteenth,
Twenty-sixth, Thir-
ty-first. Forty-siXth. Fortyninth,
and Seventy-second
base hospitals and detachment of
the third evacuation hospital; ~
officers and 1874 men convalescing
from wounds or illness: and few
casual nurses and civilians.
Sierra Brings 1900.
Bringing more than 1900 officers
aud men of the Fortieth division. !
former national guard of western
states. the steamship Sierra az
rived here today from bordeaux. !
detachments will demOb- !
lize at Camps Kearney, Gran. !
Dodge, Hancock, Sherman, Lee and ,
Dix.
The Sierra brought altogether /
SOC troops including three officers |
and 252 men convalescing from /
or illness.