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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations to Captain Richard H. Jackson, United States Staff Representative, Paris

<February 19,1918>

CABLEGRAM      RECEIVED

Origin Opnav                          Ser.No.Mission 271

Feby 20        For information CS1

Cipher: B.

Simsadus

For Amnavpar Paris

Mission 271

     Upon the return of the USS ROCHESTER from her present troop trip she will be assigned duty as Flagship of Commander Destroyer Force.2 The USS CHICAGO with Rear Admiral C.S. Williams3 left Cuba February 18 via Barbados for East coast South America. Admiral Caperton4 has been authorized to be at Montevideo March 1 and be present at inauguration of new President of Ur<u>guay.5 Can be done vocally and after arrival of USS CHICAGO Caperton will come north on USS PITTSBURG And upon arrival will be detached and ordered to duty in connection with general board. Senatorial Committee now completed its work on Naval bill, it has raised the House provision for temporary enlisted personnel from 225,000 to 250,000. Permanent strength unchanged.6 Of 250,000, 181,485 shall be the basis for computation for officers. Basis for computation of officers in higher grades unchanged. Bill also provides for taking into regular service of 700 officers from present temporary and reserve officers. Also for 500 additional from Aviation Reservists. And in addition Chief Warrant Officers of 15 years service who have good records – in all probability 1,500 In addition foregoing, the Senatorial Committee Bill provides for the use of not more than 10% of Reserve Force until January 1, 1920 and not more than 5% of Reserve Force from January 1 until July 1, 1920. 11019 Mission 271.

Opnav         

SENT None

Recd 8:26 a.m.

NB: “Can be done vocally” Comes garbled.

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

Footnote 1: Capt. Nathan C. Twining, chief of staff to Adm. William S. Sims.

Footnote 2: A new commander for the destroyers at Norfolk, VA, was not appointed until August 1918 when Capt. Samuel W. Bryant assumed command.

Footnote 3: RAdm. Clarence S. Williams. Williams succeeded Caperton as commander of Light Cruiser Division One.

Footnote 4: RAdm. William B. Caperton.

Footnote 5: President of Uruguay Feliciano Viera.

Footnote 6: In his diary entry of 16 January, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels wrote that he had a conference with Lemuel P. Padgett, chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee about a “large permanent increase” in the size of the Navy. Padgett, however, opposed such an increase. DLC-MSS, Josephus Daniels Papers, Diaries, Reel 1.