Naval History and Heritage Command

Admiral Henry T. Mayo, Commander, Atlantic Fleet, to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels

Report of Admiral Mayo to the Navy Department of Request for Assistance from United States following International Naval Conference in London 4 – 5 September 1917, with notes  made on original in hand-writing of Captain Pratt.

- - - - - - -

Passage, Liverpool to New York,

S.S. ST. LOUIS.    

11 October 1917.        

File 8012

CONFIDENTIAL

From:     Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet,

To  :     Secretary of the Navy (Operations).

SUBJECT: Specific Requests for Assistance from the several Allied Powers.

Reference:(a) Report of International Naval Conference in LONDON on 4 -5 September 1917 – Extracts – Enclosure “A”.

(b) Memorandum from First Sea Lord of British Admiralty dated 22 September 1917 – Enclosure ‘B”

(c) Memorandum of Requests from FRANCE – Enclsoure “C”

(d) Memorandum of Requests from ITALY – Enclosure “D”

(e) Memorandum of Requests from RUSSIA – Enclosure “E”

     1.   The following summary of specific requests for assistance from the UNITED STATES made by the several Allied Powers is assembled from the References and from notice made in interviews with Government representatives.

     2.   It is recommended that immediate and careful consideration be given to these requests and that decision or view in the premises be communicated to the several Governments concerned as soon as possible in order that the necessary arrangements for co-operation and co-ordination of assistance to be rendered may be made, as in practically all cases the time element is of  very great importance.

     3.   Not only should there be the least possible delay in replying to the several requests in order that the Governments concerned may plan accordingly, but where material assistance is involved, care should be taken to concentrate effort on the production of material already found even fairly satisfactory for the purpose intended, rather than to institute research and experimental work for development of new apparatus or for the improvement of existing apparatus, thus causing delays in production which would operate to markedly reduce, and perhaps even to nullify, the value of the assistance rendered.

     4.   The summary of requests is arranged as follows:-

(a) Report of International Naval Conference in LONDON on 4 -5 September 1917 - - - - - - - -Enclosure “A”.|1|

(b) Memorandum from First Sea Lord of British Admiralty dated 22 September 1917 – Enclosure ‘B”|2|

(c) Memorandum of Requests from FRANCE – Enclsoure “C”|3|

(d) Memorandum of Requests from ITALY – Enclosure “D”|4|

(e) Memorandum of Requests from RUSSIA – Enclosure “E”|5|

     5.   The Commander-in-Chief has made no written recommendation regarding these several requests but is prepared to discuss them and to explain the points that were presented in connection with them when they were made.

H. T. MAYO.             

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -