The Washington times., 1922-12-10

was lying idle with q cost Of from
81, 900 TO $1,000 da y piling up
against the American vessel. 1T
must In borne in mind that we car
ried only cargo Of salt that was
used for ballast.
Meanwhile British ships were
entering and leaving Port Said with
valuable cargoes-obtained for them
by British agents-and meeting no
difficulty in getting the necessary
fuel.
Another instance Of British inter.
ests hampering American ships
occurred at Colombo. Ceylon. We
also were is need Of fuel oil on this
occasion to permit our return 10
Calcutta. We sent a message to
this effect TO our British agents.
Hull, Blythe and Co. instructed
US we could get the necessary 400
tons or what amount II was we
needed at Colombo. The company
agent there. however. could not find
the advice.
Nevertheless. he. supplied the
necessary fuel to the westchatala.
Later. I learned that he received
orders that oil was not to be sold at
Colombo to American ships.
THE Asiatic Petroleum Company,
another British concern, also dis
Terminated against. American ships
In It's refusal to supply fuel oil. In
sistent demand made by Captain
Dorris, Chief Engineer John Heaiy.
who. I believe. is now with the Ad-
miral Line sailing from Portland,
Ore, and myself, brought this reply
from the British: Very sorry, but
we have received advices from Lon
don there 10 no oil available
"Investtxation. however. showed
that the Asiatic Petroleum Company
held large reserve supplies. but re
quest for oil brought to light these
instructions to British agents: Moth
| ing doing-definite advice from Lon
don. No oil for u. 8. ships
The object Of the oil ban placed
on American ships appeared to be
twofold:
First. to create work for British
ports by forcing the conversion Of
American oil-burning ships into coal
burners: second. to discourage an
American merchant marine by the
heavy expense involved and losses
caused by innumerable delays.
"This became apparent at Cal
cutta In April or May. 1920, when
the Westchatala again was in need
Of fuel oil. British agents advised
us that the vessel be converted into
q coal burner. The estimated cost
Of this was in the neighborhood OF
$4,000. and, Of course. would have
to be paid by American interests
As representative Of the Shipping
Board. refused to consent to thit
and insisted that the necessary fuel
white the British were protest
ing this refusal to convert the
Westchatala. we discovered anotheu
American vessel, chartered TO w
r. Grace q Co, OF New York. was
d coal burner because OF the in,
ability 10 get on The estimated
cost OF this work was between SEQ,
900 and 5000
OIL WAS AvOIDABLE.
1 From the other vessel + learned
that there still remained q quantity
Of oil In the tanks and that THU
was available II the .Westchatals
was wiling to make the transfer
Here the British civic authorities
Of Calcutta entered the shipping
pool.
every effort was made to force
the conversion OF the westchatals
Into o coal burner 90 that $50, ,OO(
In work would be saved 70 the port
To transfer the oil q permit wal
necessary, The granting Of THU
was vigorously protested by British
civic authorities on the ground tha,
the hcrbor might be set afire. This
objection wnA overcome finally and
| the oil from one American shir
found its way into the tank Of an
with the westchatala stin an
OH burner, the American vesse
next sailed on British orders from,
Calcutta TO Dunhirk. England, with
q cargo Of coal. Somewhere In
the Red sea fire broke out aboard
the vessel &ds
This proved menacing and on
the eleventh day we were ordered
| to put in at Algiers and vlischargs
the cargo. Captain Doris, who had
staunchiy protested the action OF
the British agentS throughout the
voyage, was relieved st that port
LOST ssss.ees ON TIP.
1--WE were then ordered to return
IN ballast to PhilAdelphia. The
records filed by me with. the Ship
ping Board show that what shouif
have beep . profitable nins-months
1 sailing proved a loss which a. {
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