Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-26
GOVT OUTLINES
ITS CASE AGAINST
MORSE AND SONS
SEE NEED SWIFT
BOATS IN RUNNING
down rum SHIPS

New York, April 25-(By A. Ply
1t was learned today that inquiries
have been made of shipbuilders as to
the cost of small craft vessels en-
ployed by bootleggers in transferring
liquor supplies to shore from the rum
| fleet off Ambrose Channel.
| 1t was found that such vessels
i could be turned out by the shipyards
al an expense of from $4,000 to $780,
| 600 each. 1t developed that a strong
| demand for motor craft suitable for
| making fast runs had been created
since rum running became a profit
able business and that the one great
| essential of the boats has been speed.
Some that have been turned out have
| been guaranteed to make 20 knots an
hour under ideal conditions for per-
haps single trip of six hours in a
week. 1t was learned that a guaran-
teed speed of % knots, the same to
be maintained day and night in
definitely, was an altogether different
proposition and was only to be had at
| the expenditure for power equipment
ltI III GSCSSS OIL anything lllaL Qlu
been contemplated
1t was said that at least a dozen
such craft would be necessary to stop
the rum running off the Atlantic
=. Highlands and inasmuch as no such
sum >aS available for the purpose
the prospect of a prohibition fleet
adequate for the emergency was con-
Sidered remote.
In ordr to obtain information on
the subject of the much ADVERTISED
| rum f. 1et Merier Vernon. assistant to
Secretary of the Treasury, and Lieu
tenant 5. S. Yeandle. from tho Of
flee of Admiral Reynolds. command
ant of the coast guard. visited Rum
Row YESTERDAY on board the coast
guard cutter Manhattan. They
found nine mother ships waiting for
shore patronage. Neither Mr.. Yer
non nor Lieutenant Yeandle would
comment upon what they saw. but
as to the ability of the coast guard
10 stop rum running, Lieutenant Ye-
andle said:
The United States coast guard scrv-
ice has the integrity. personnel and
professional knowledge of the coast TO
perform the regular duties assigned to
II. In this particular territory these
duties consist of assigning anchorage.
OF general harbor administration and of
patrolling the coast from Nantucket to
Inc Delaware Breakwater to aid vessels
IN distress. remove derelicts and other
menaces to ocean travl. None of the
vessels here was built for speed or to
make more than IL to II knots an hour
at the outside.
THE L. S. coast guard has a great
diversity of duties ara is today in
sore straits on account of old and in
adequate vessels to perform Satisfacto-
rily the imperative duties of assisting
lie and property in peril at sea which
has on the north Atlantic coast become
one of its chief functions. The coast
guard being under the treasury depart
ment is charged with the protection
of the customs and the Illegal trans
portation of liquor must he prevented
by the coast guard in the same manner
as smuggling of any other nature.
The rum running situation has be-
come big proposition and with the
coast guard striving to carry on its
normal functions of rescue work it
is found that the equipment in YES
sells and men is inadequate to cf-
fectively check rum. running. -
Colonel Edward Clifford, assistant
secretary of the Treasury, and Ad-
miral T.. Reynolds. the commandment
of the Coast Guard, are directing that
all coast guard resources be used
that can be spared without detriment
to the other urgent demands made
upon the coast guard
The futility of expecting the coast
guard service to meet the situation
with it's present resources was en-
phasiZed by revaluations concerning
the construction of fast motor boats.
In the whole coast guard service
there arc only four vessels. oil burn
ing cutters, that are capable under
the best conditions of making 16
knots an Nbur