Berths for Giants

Albert D. Lasker, Chairman of the Shipping Board, became quite excited and wrote a letter to Mayor Hylan of New York when he learned that the Government's great ship, Leviathan, might not be able to find a pier in Manhattan.

He wrote: " The Leviathan is the property of the United States Government and is operated by the Government and therefore it is the property of all the people in the United States. ... It seems unbelievable that the Leviathan should be excluded from the pier in New York owned by the citizens of that city."

The situation is this: there are five ships serving the port of New York which require 1,000-foot piers: The Majestic, Berengaria, Olympic, Homeric and Aquitania--all operated by British lines. When the Leviathan comes into service on July 4, she will be the sixth ship of this class. The British vessels have been using the Chelsea piers, which, originally not so long, were extended during the War for the use of these long ships. The City of New York is also building a series of 1,000-foot piers farther north along the shore of Manhattan. Pier No. 86, at the foot of 46th Street was the first completed.

The War Department has declared that the extensions on the Chelsea piers obstructed the channel and must be removed. British steamship officials believed they had an understanding with the city that they might then lease Piers 86 and 88 (under construction). When the Leviathan came along it brought a situation by which either it or the British vessels would be left without docking facilities in Manhattan.

Naturally, both the Shipping Board and the British lines showed anxiety. The solution, however, appears to have been found. Secretary of War Weeks indicated that he would not insist on the removal of the extensions on the Chelsea piers until the city had provided other 1,000-foot piers for the British vessels. Meanwhile, it appears that the Leviathan will be leased Pier 86.