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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

 

TROOPS in Single Mercantile Vessels       

          <April 12, 1918.>

                      CABLEGRAM RECEIVED       08313 April EWC

Origin Opnav Washington                    Ser. No. 4875

Ref’d to      Date

  O-1        13 April

          40 ADR

Simsadus.

4875. The 4 American Liners1 are being taken over by Army to carry troops and operated as other transports. It is the intention to route them in fast Halifax Nova Scotia convoys out of New York N.Y., unless some better way of utilizing their speed can be devised. Army make 2 suggestions which are referred to you<:> first would it be practicable to select certain British vessels of 15 knots speed or over and combined with the e4 American Liners form groups of faster than convoys speed out New York N.Y. SECOND, would it be possible to route these 4 ships with our faster ships bound for France, they being later deverted to Liverpool, England<?>2 19012 4875.

<Benson.>

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. The date is handwritten but confirmed by the time/date stamp immediately after the text. Notation in upper-right corner: “6 Copies/3/C” and below close: “Note:-/Used period at end of message. C/11.” The question mark was written in ink above the period.

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