The American captain explained to Long that " Hercules " had taken cargo to Leghorn, sold it there, and then had agreed to take a small number of invalid French officers to a French port where he might find a return cargo for the United States.
32.
The region's role as a gateway for trade with the interior of the U . S . meant that trading ships brought more cargoes to the ports than there were cargoes to take back; unless they could find a return cargo, ships would need to carry rocks as ballast instead.
33.
Taking on board a return cargo of 1, 224 tons of ammunition and 230 tons of steel rails, " Berwyn " departed Nantes on 14 February 1919 . On 25 February 1919, while still on her voyage to the United States, she was transferred from the U . S . Army account to the U . S . Shipping Board account.
