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Show AMERICAN GOVERNMENT STOPS SHIPPING DEAL f Vessels Included Were Some of Most Important Engaged in the Transatlantic Trade Under U. S. Flag. WASHINGTON, Nov. 26. The United States government has refused to approve ap-prove the proposed transfer to a British Brit-ish syndicate of the vessels now under British registry owned by the International Interna-tional Mercantile Marine corporation. Bair.bridgc Colby of the shipping board, in making this announcement tonight, said the government bad offered to take over the ownership of these vessels upon the terms of the British offer. The vessels concerned in the British syndicate's offer number approximately eighty-fiv1. of nn aggregate tonnage of 730.000 gross to;:s. They include some of t he most important vessels now engaged In the transatlantic service, such as the Olympic and 'many others of familiar names. This i'o rm.il s t a t e m e n t w ;i s issued at the office of the shipping board: "Annncncpment was m;ide at th shipping ship-ping board thai the International Mercantile Mer-cantile Marine corporation had today been advised of the government's disinclination dis-inclination to give its approval to the ! proposed transfer to a Britl;-b ryndicate of the American ownership which bus for years hien vested In the International Mercantile Marine corporation of the bitter's bit-ter's vessels now under British registry. "Biiinbridge Colby of the shipping board stated an offer by a British syndicate syn-dicate to acquire from the International Mcrcant :Ie Marine corporation the ton- I nage in one.-;; ion had been under consld- enition for -,me time. The offer wa-s j e x pr f-ss i y conditioned upon i t s a n p ro vat j i.y Null the Pnltf d States and British governments. The negotiations, he further fur-ther stated, had been carried on by the International corporation with entire frankness, so far as the government is concerned, and the decision now reached is due to the reluctance felt that an ownership own-ership which has so long been held in this country, covering so important a I tonnage, should at this time, and under the conditions now prevailing in shipping throughout the world, be suffered to pass out of American hands. "The vessels immediately concerned in the syndicate's offer are approximately eighty-five in number and aggregate 730.0O0 gross tons, or. in their deadweight equivalent, about 1.0"0.0'"'0 tons. They include some of the most Important vessels ves-sels now engaged in transatlantic service, ser-vice, such as the Olympic, and many other vessels of large type and familiar names, "The government has a nnounced its willingness to take over the ownership of these vessels upon the terms of the British offer, which is considered a fair j rice for tonnage of this exceptional character. "Notification has been sent to tho International In-ternational Mercantile Mnrine corporation corpora-tion Of the government's decision." Negotiations for the sale of the ships have been, under way for some weeks and a few days ago the shipping board request -id the International Mercantile Marine corporation to take no further steps looking to a consummation of the deal until the govement "ou!d rm-h a |