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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations to British Admiralty

COPY     OF        TELEGRAM              124

11-3-12.       IN  

From : Washington.                          Date   8.6.18.

To   : Admiralty.                           Sent 118 p.m.

                                            Recd/ 8.00 p.m.

Cipher  N.

     124.  Your 17 and 181 U.S. Navy Dept. issued war warnings to all vessels to remain in port. This hampered British Ships in U.S. ports and caused some British Ships to take refuge in port. Matter has now been rectified and traffic South of New York proceeding in accordance with my 122 north of New York no change. Approach routes for U.S. ports must necessarily be made in accordance with U.S. Navy Dept. and your 1230 7th June conflicts with that already issued.2

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Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. Routing list below close: “A C N S [Assistant Chief of Naval Staff RAdm. Alexander L Duff]/D M M 2 [Mercantile Movements Division]/Convoy [Convoy Section] 2/A S D [Anti-Submarine Division]/U S Force Commander [VAdm. William S. Sims].”

Footnote 1: These Admiralty directives have not been found.

Footnote 2: For a breakdown of approach routes for ships sailing to the United States, see: Benson to Sims, 1 June 1918. The Admiralty’s memorandum of 7 June has not been found. On 6 August, at the request of the British Admiralty, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations sent a list of “further approach routes for North America and Canada.” See, Office of Chief of Naval Operations to Sims, 6 August 1918, DNA RG 45, Entry 517B.

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