Word: merchantmen
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...answer to all that: "The Liberty ships are slow, but hell, they'll float, and by God they'll get there." A modest man, Jerry Land never adds that you couldn't say as much for some of the strange and wonderful aggregation of emergency merchantmen of World War I. There were ships of green wood that seasoned in transit, and took water with seams agape in seas like a mill-pond...
...crescent bay where most of his fleet now rides at anchor. In the distance he can see the radio towers of the Cavite naval base and ahead, if the day is clear, the looming bulk of Corregidor, the Gibraltar that guards Manila. Close by he can see the merchantmen at Manila's big pier 7 busily unloading the precious stuff that he needs to keep his fleet in fighting trim...
...Captain William Gladstone Agnew, in command of the British squadron, met more than he had bargained for. The original convoy was just being joined by two more merchantmen, and two heavy Italian cruisers, twice the size of his own, were on hand. He did not hesitate...
Although no U.S. merchantmen, however wellarmed, bagged anything during the last war, their armament helped to keep subs at a distance. This time, with improved weapons, the Navy expects them to do better than that. Since a fully armed merchant marine would require 10,000 men to serve its guns (crews range in size from eight to 24), it is unlikely that Navy personnel will take over the whole...
...wise shipper guessed it would be soon. Reason: the order detained 10-15 vessels bound for Vladivostok with oil and machinery vitally needed by the Russians. It also held back tons of raw materials needed for U.S. war forges. Other shippers, however, figured the order would stand until all merchantmen could be escorted (by the Navy) to Manila, there equipped with guns. That would take longer-but be safer...