§ Lieut.-Colonel CROFTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller (1) what was the number of German and Austrian ships lying in the ports of the United States of America at the date of the Armistice; whether these ships have been taken possession of by the United States Government; and, if so, on what grounds;
(2) whether it was decided during the Peace Conference that the German and Austrian ships lying in the ports of the United States at the date of the Armistice, as well as the other ships belonging to our former enemies, were to be divided between the Allies according to the losses sustained by each country; and, if so, what action has been taken by the Government to see that proper division has been made of these ships;
(3) whether the United States Government have taken possession of the ships which were not lying in the ports of the United States of America, but which were lent to them for the conveying of their troops back to America?
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Colonel WILSON101 German vessels of 643,412 gross tons and 14 Austrian steamers aggregating 68,206 gross tons were taken over in United States ports in 1917 by the United States Government (8 of the German steamers referred to aggregating 64,456 gross tons have since been sunk). These detained vessels were taken over by the American Government under a Resolution of the Congress. When this matter was discussed at the Peace Conference President Wilson agreed that America should pay for that part of this detained tonnage which was in excess of the amount to which America was entitled on a basis of proportional losses. This Agreement now awaits the ratification of the Senate. With regard to the passenger steamers which were delivered by Germany under the Armistice arrangements, and which were allocated to America for trooping, these vessels were all returned by America after the completion of that service and have been re-allocated to the temporary management of Great Britain and France pending the decision of the Reparation Commission as to final ownership.