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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Captain David W. Todd, Director, Naval Communications, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

Chronological Copy.                            File No.

Cablegram Received  April <24, 1918,> 10523.  TDR

     Opnav Washington. (Director Naval Communications)

Origin                                        Ser. No. 5326

     C-1   27 Apr.

29 ADR.

Simsadus.

5326. <*>Inference question taken up in conference April 12th which convened for purpose reply inter-Allied protocal 16th November.1 Copy this conference proceeding mailed you 13th April. It was stated U.S. Navy radio stations being equipped with wave changing apparatus capable changing tune less than 30 seconds in accordance with suggestions of before mentioned inter-Allied protocal.2 High power sets are being installed Sayville N.Y., Annapolis Md., New Brunswick [NJ] and Marion [MA]. Tuckerton N.J. power has been increased .

     Marion assigned permanent tune 14000 meters, Annapolis Md. expected operate efficiently between 13000 and 17000 meters, new tunes Sayville N.Y. and New Brunswick not definitely known but will make tests and inform inter-Allied Commission results. Tuckerton N.J. probably not operating efficiently on tunes above 10000 meters.

     Experiments now being made United States with means for preventing In<ter>ference. If these experiments prove successful results will be communicated immediately Inter-Allied Commission for consideration. Until that time United States has (no) new suggestions to make regarding interference prevention. Expect experiments to be completed in near future. 19524. 5326.

Benson        

N.B. “In[ter]ference” comes clear where given.

  *   “Until that time United States has new intentions”

       comes clear.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 1: Concerned about the vulnerability and capacity issues of undersea cables, the Allies looked to develop a transatlantic radio network. After some discussion, the Army and Navy decided that the Navy would commandeer and operate commercial high-power radios as a complement to the cable system. The Interallied Radio Commission (IARC) had been founded early in the war to coordinate operating procedures and allocate wavelengths among the allies. See Jonathan R. Winkler, Nexus: Strategic Communications and American Security in World War 1 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2008), 100-35 passim.

Footnote 2: That is, the alternator built by Ernst W. F. Alexanderson of General Electric Corp.

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