Washington, Feb. 4.
British shipping interests have agreed to buy. eighteen American vessels, totalling 76,000 gross tons, it was learned -here last night.
The ships will be used to replace some of the vessels Britain has lost during the war, Since the -fighting began, England has lost 147 merchant ips.
it was also learned that France has acquired, or is about to purchas, fourteen American ships totalling 37,000 gross tons.
The Federal Maritime Commission is expected to approve the sales. because most of the merchantmen are more than twenty years old, and many of them have been lying idle.
British and French shipping interests are expected to buy many more American ships before the war is over. They are reported to have paid high prices for the vessels which they have already acquired.—Uniited. Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.