Rear Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Destroyers Operating from British Bases, to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels
SPECIAL GREEN
TELEGRAM RECEIVED.
FROM
LONDON,
Dated APRIL 30, 1917,
Rec’d 8 :30 p. m.
Secretary of State,
Washington.
6123, April 30, 4 p. m.
Very confidential to the Secretary of the Navy from Admiral Sims:
“Admiralty is making a study of convoy system for shipping.1 Tentative plan proposes two general rendezvous American coast for assembly every four days of all ships under fifteen knots. Similar action at Gibraltar and on other trade routes. Escort of one war vessel against raiders. Destroyers will meet convoys at war zone. Two escort ships will rest at each end about eight days. Plan would require our furnishing some escort vessels and additional destroyers on this side and would necessitate abandonment of present patrol against raiders. Plan not yet fully decided upon by Admiralty. This advance information for the Department’s consideration. SIMS.”
PAGE.
Source Note: C, DNA, RG 59, M367, Roll 141. Routing, code, and index stamps and handwritten notations on top and in the left margin of the first page. Because of security concerns Sims was using the State Department to send messages to the United States so this message was nominally from Ambassador Walter Hines Page to Secretary of State Robert Lansing.
Footnote 1: See: Sir John Jellicoe to Sir Dudley R.S. De Chair, 26 April 1917.
