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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, Commander, Mine Force to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

COPY OF CABLEGRAM. <August 9, 1918.>

From  Str<a>uss at Malta 9th 2350                     12.8.18

To Admiralty. SIMSADUS             London.             6.10 pm.

                                  F.A.               29229

     Your 1605.1 Conference finished today Friday recommend first Adriatic Barrage second Euboea Cape Kanapitza Barrage2 and disapprove Cape Bon Sicil<y> barrage.3 Location Adriatic Barrage not definitely decided pending acceptance by Italian Government of Otranto Sas<s>eno Island scheme.4 Failing to accept this conference propose barrage on Fano Island.5 France and Italy to finish net barrage now well along and U.S. submarine deppening <deepening> it by mines where depth permits. Large deep nets for remainder. <Expect> Expept arrive London about Aug.17th after inspecting places suitable for base.

S.O. 1st Medtn Detached Squadron

                             2350 9th.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG45, Entry 517B. Document identifier “1/6/Q/J” appears in the upper-right corner of the first page. Addressed below close: “U.S. Naval Headquarters/Grosvenor Gardens.”

Footnote 1: Document not found.

Footnote 2: This barrage ran from Euboea to Cape Kanapitza via the islands of Andros, Tinos, Mykoni, Nikaria, Furnia and Samos.

Footnote 3: The U.S. failed to secure Allied support for a Cape Bon-Sicily mine barrier. The British and French rejected the plan after consideration of the difficulty of moving traffic through the proposed barrier gate, Halpern, Naval War in the Mediterranean: 512.

Footnote 4: The conference recommended a second Otranto barrage in addition to the Otranto-Fano mine-net barrage to be produced by the U.S. The Italians subsequently agreed to a Cape Cavello-Saseno line supplemented with American deep water mines. Halpern, Naval War in the Mediterranean: 512.

Footnote 5: See also: Sims to Opnav, 26 July 1918.

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