The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-02-20
BRITISH CREW TOOK
aERU.S.LEV|ATHAN
Cob Guards Replaced by Inter-
nationals Men Wearing
Badges initiated |. N. N.

NEW foRhs reD. zO-Sooh aite'
December IT. 1919. the crew OF the
Levisthan nrst noticed the transfer
nation that was being effected In
the control of the vessel Gradually
but surely she began to become Brit
ish.
Agents OF the International Mer-
camille Marine made their appearance
on board and took charge. to the ex-
clusion of the officials OF the Ship
ping Board who ceased their activi-
ties.
Capt. John C. Jamison. for forty
years in the service OF the American
Line. a subsidiary OF the international
Mercantile Marine. was placed In
command of the Leviathan on De-
| cember 10 last. He Is one OF the
| best-known OF the transatlantic
shippers and enjoyed the unique dis
tinction of being the only American
| born captain In the employ OF the
American Line. All the others are
British.
The superintendent-eng ineer of the
| International Mercantile Marine took
charge OF the repair work in the en-
CINE room soon after Captain Jami-
son took command on deck.
Chief steward . Scotsman
| b. N. Macpherson, a Scotsman.
Joined the Leviathan as chief stew
ard, with Arthur Newcomb, an Eng
lishman. as second steward.
From then on. the skeleton crew
on the Leviathan noticed that al
though she WAS supposed to be under
control OF the Shipping Board. the
International Mercantile Marine ran
the ship In every sense of the word.
The United States. Government was
footing all the bills. and yet tho yes
sci was under actual control OF the
officials of the International Mercan-
| tile Marine.
With the advent of the company
officials the authority Of the Ship
ping Board officials vanished. A
force of clerks from the company
offices relieved Government hands In
| checking up the inventories of all
the material on board.
Passed o. BY Company.
| All matter pertaining to the crew
were passed on by the company. The
Shipping Board seemingly had moth
ing to do with the ship from about
mid-December to the present except
| that II paid the crew out Of United
States Government funds.
Even then the voucher had to bear
| the Endorsement of the auditor Of the
International Mercantile Marine be-
fore the Shipping Board would pay
the sailor or fireman his wages.
| The few remaiping Americans on
board were further convinced that
the Leviathan had been transferred
when more than a month ago all
| Shipping Board passes to gain al
| mittance on board were taken up.
| To all the members of the crew
and the working gangs on board were
given instead passes bearing the
| name international Mercantile Ma
rine."
Bluejackets who had been on. guard
duty over the ship were replaced by
private guards. wearing badges on
which were enameled international
Mercantile Marine"
The work Of reconditioning the
vessel was strictly an international
Mercantile Marine job. All the rivet-
ers, machinists, and other workmen
employed in renovating the great
liner are employed by that company.
Amaricans UnweIcone.
The taking Of stock throughout the
| vessel was done under the direct SUI
pervision of clerks from the COM
pany's New York office. Quantities
of linen and costly effects bearing the
monogram of the Hamburg American
line were taken ashore by agents of
! the company. What disposition was
made of this valuable stuff no one in
the crew knows.
Thoroughly transformed into q
British ship. the Americans in the
crew soon found themselves anything
but welcome. With the International
Mercantile Marine assuming full au-
thority for everything that was done
on board, it was taken for granted
that IL the vessel hadn't already been
transferred 1t was merely a question
Of time when she would be.