ON EVE OF SEIZURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1941, Page 6

ON EVE OF SEIZURE

) ITALIAN SHIPS DAMAGED IN U.S.A. ACETYLENE TORCHES USED ON ENGINES. PREPARATIONS TO SET VESSELS , ON FIRE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright > (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) NEWARK (New Jersey), March 30. The police state that sabotage 3 was discovered aboard five Italian ships which the coastguard boarded at Newark early today. The engines of all five had been severely damaged, apparently by acetylene torches, and combustible materials were strategically placed to enable the ships to be set on fire at a moment’s notice. ALL SHIPS BOARDED PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE TREASURY INSTRUCTIONS. WASHINGTON, March 30. The Coastguard announced that the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr Henry Morgenthau, Junr., had ordered Coastguardsmen to board all Italian ships tied up in United States territorial L waters, to prevent further damage to 1 vessels at the hands of Italian seamen, 1 and stressed that the action did not ■ constitute confiscation, but was a preventive measure to halt what was de1 scribed as a widespread campaign of destruction of Italian ships tied up in ' United States ports since the outbreak ■ of the European war. The Treasury's seizure order was issued under the Mercliant Ship Control Act, which is designed to protect American ports. The Italian crews will be removed and taken into temporary custody by the Coastguard, after which their fate is uncertain. Some may be charged with sabotage, whereupon they would face trial in the Federal Courts on the theory that sabotage on one ship in a port endangers the whole port. There are twenty-six Italian freighters in United States continental ports, one at Puerto Rico and one in the Panama Canal zone. TURNED INTO SHAMBLES ENGINE-ROOM OF MOTOR VESSEL. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) PORTLAND (Oregon), March 30. Fifty-five Coastguards, armed with sub-machine guns, boarded the Italian motor-ship Leme and found the engines, generators and gears smashed by sledge hammers, the engine-room turned into a shambles and the wiring cut on the bridge. GUARD ON GERMAN SHIPS (Received This Day. 10.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 30. Coastguards at Boston have been ordered to place guards aboard two German freighters there. It is stated that, this does not constitute seizure. An official commented that there are only three German ships in' American waters. I

ACTION AT BALBOA ITALIAN STEAMER TAKEN OVER. (Received This Day, 10.25 am.) BALBOA, March 30. Four lorry-loads of American soldiers and sailors boarded the Conte t Biancamano, while a United States de--1 stroyer stood by alongside. a A Coastguard official in Washington 1 said the Italian crews had been smash--1 ing machinery and starting fires un- / der dry boilers, etc., in an effort to render the ships useless. Many of the 1 ships are near sinking point. 2 Members of the Conte Biancamano’s - crew were taken'ashore and will prob--2 ably be placed in a concentration camp , in the Canal Zone. The ship’s officers a conferred with American Army and Navy officials on the bridge, after ij which the Canal Zone authorities isr sued this statement: "On instructions 1 from Washington the Conte Bianca- > mona is taken over by military and J naval guards." Italian members of 7 the crew returned aboard the ship. ; apparently after a search, and are now under heavy guard.