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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Captain Joel R. Poinsett Pringle, Chief of Staff, Destroyer Flotillas, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

U.S. NAVAL FORCES OPERATING IN EUROPEAN WATERS,

DESTROYER FLOTILLAS.

U. S. S. MELVILLE, FLAGSHIP.

BASE SIX, [Queenstown]

28 August 1918.

My dear Admiral:

          I have your letter of 23 August relative to the chasers, and also the copy of the letter which you have written to Admiral Bayly.1

          He is due to return tomorrow, and I will take the subject up with him at the first opportunity. I do not believe there will be the slightest trouble about the employment of these ships, but, in case there is, I will let you know. The present employment was decided upon after consultation, and Hepburn2 believes that it is the most profitable for the time being. The personnel of these ships is so green that I am inclined to believe that some preliminary training, such as they are getting now, is absolutely necessary if we are to expect any proficient performance from them when they are actually on the job.

          I forward you herewith a photograph.3 I looked out of my port two days ago and saw this weird and curious sight, and I immediately sent a photographer out to get a picture of it. When dissolved into its component parts, it consists of –

[H.M.S.] Bish Price

2 Destroyers

2 Tugs

5 Sub Chasers.

          The army photographer who is now here, has returned from a trip to sea in the STOCKTON and tells me that he got about 130 feet of film which he thinks will prove fairly satisfactory. Church4 told me that you had spoken about sending a man up in a kite-balloon. We have no kite balloons here so of course that cannot be done. In case the film taken by this Mr. Jackson5 does not suit your purpose, I wish you would please let me know and I will try it again, although I have no moving picture artist of my own down here, but dare say I can get one. Mr. Jackson returns to London the end of this week and will develop his film as soon as he gets there.

Very sincerely yours,   

JRPoinsett Pringle

Source Note: TDS, DLC-MSS, William S. Sims Paper, Box 79. Document reference: “(C-4).”

Footnote 2: Cmdr. Arthur J. Hepburn.

Footnote 3: For the image referred to, see: Illustrations for August 1918.

Footnote 4: Lt. Cmdr. Albert T. Church.

Footnote 5: Official Army Photographer, 1st Lt. Edward N. Jackson, U.S. Signal Corps.

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