Navy machinists working for the French merchant company Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes according to the Dutch newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad dated 2 March 1914

An item reported that the French deputy minister of commerce Ajain decided to provide navy machinist supervisors to the shipping company Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes hoping to force the strikers to stop the strike. The registered sailors were willing to serve under command of the navy personnel. The shipping company was forced to decommission yet seven of her steamships.