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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Captain Walter S. Crosley, United States Naval Attaché in Madrid

August 4th, 1918.       

My dear Crosley,

          Your letter of July 27th,1 received yesterday, and I not only agree with everything that you had to say but was much amused by the incisive manner in which you have stated it.

          I will of course do what I can to help you out on this matter but do not know whether I can have any effect on the people at home.

          For some reason or other they seem to wish to handle all such things through their own specially appointed agents, and seem not willing to facilitate such work being done on the spot, relying upon the judgment of our attaches.

          I immediately sent the following cable to the Department:2

     Simben 23. Have received personal and confidential letter from Naval Attache, Madrid, saying he is unable to carry on necessary and important work for lack of funds, which he has repeatedly requested form [i.e., from] Navintel without success. The work he mentions in his letter is undoubtedly necessary and cannot be performed without sufficient funds. I know nothing of the merits of the case farther than this. Suggest you investigate and take steps as may appear to you to be necessary

                             Sims.”

          Please let me know at any time what I can do to help out, and you may rely upon me pushing things from this end.

          Of course it is something of a handicap to have your correspondence handled by your predecessor.

Very sincerely yours,   

Source Note: LT, DLC-MSS, William Sims Papers, Container 24. “Admiral Sims/Personal File” appears in the upper-left corner. Identifiers “1/5/C/H/J” appear in the upper-right corner in a ladder. Document is addressed below close: “Commander W.S.Crosley, U.S.Navy./Naval Attache,/American Embassy, Madrid.”

Footnote 2: The original of this cable has not been found, but it is quoted in full here.

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