File No. 441.11Am37
The Commissioner of Navigation, Department of Commerce (Chamberlain) to the New York “Maritime Register”
Gentlemen: The Danish S. S. Gotland, until recently the Greek S. S. Leonidas Cambanis, reported to have been sold to Americans (Maritime Register, June 9, 1915, p. 29) is not entitled to American registry. Not one dollar of American money is invested in this ship or seven others recently purchased under similar conditions, and the [Page 694] Bureau of War Risk Insurance and American consuls have been notified that these ships are not entitled to the American flag.
Considerable capital early in the year was placed by Hugo Stinnes, the owner of a dozen German merchant steamers of Hamburg and Mülheim, at the disposal of Albert Jensen, a coal merchant of Copenhagen. Jensen made several purchases of ships in February and March, but since his imprisonment this spring by the Danish Government for violation of Danish neutrality, the deal has been handled by one Theodore Lahr of Rotterdam. Over $1,000,000 is involved.
Respectfully,
Commissioner