British Foreign Office to First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington Colville Barclay
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
MILITARY.
Cypher telegram to Mr.Barclay (Washington).
Foreign Office. March 22nd.1917. 8.00 p.m.
No. 824.
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Secret.
Your telegram No. 741 (of 20th March).
In view of the hesitating attitude of the President and, as you say, of the ‘jealousy and anti-British sentiment which pervades the United States Navy’, there are obvious objections to discussing schemes of co-operation with American Naval Authorities unless we are officially approached in this sense through the proper channel. It is most desirable that such schemes should be formulated, but United States of America should call us into counsel.1
Source Note: Cy, UK-KeNA, Adm. 137/1436.
Footnote 1: On 28 February, Capt. William D. MacDougall, the U.S. Naval Attaché in London, reported to Navy Intelligence that the British Admiralty would only assist the U.S. Navy “when the situation makes it advisable. . . At present as a result of the political conditions existing they will not allow any material to be supplied.” DNA, RG 45. Entry 517B.
