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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom Walter Hines Page to Secretary of State Robert Lansing

TELEGRAM RECEIVED

From– London.          

Dated- July 13, 1917  

Rec’d- 5:40 P. M.       

Secretary of State,

     Washington

     6728, July 13, 7 p.m.

     CONFIDENTIAL for the President1 and the Secretary.

     With the consent of his Government the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty2 came to see me yesterday to represent the urgent necessity in his opinion for closer cooperation between the Admiralty and our Navy Board.3 This is in accordance with the Navy Department’s policy as defined in a recent letter from the Secretary of the Navy to the Secretary of State.4 He said that the Admiralty would warmly welcome the most complete cooperation in order to effect this. He said it is essential that United States naval officers should actually work in the Admiralty in seclusion. Suggested in answer to my question as to how many officers, one captain and one commander for the Operations <side> of the War Staff; one commander for Convoy section of the War Staff; one lieutenant-commander for the anti-submarine Division of War Staff and one lieutenant-commander for material generally.

     In the course of our conversation Sir John Jellicoe informed me that in his judgment this is the only method whereby the most complete and efficient cooperation can be secured. He looks forward with keen pleasure to working with officers of the kind we should naturally send. His experience has proved to him the indispensable value of his plan.

(signed) PAGE

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

Footnote 1: Woodrow Wilson.

Footnote 2: Adm. Sir John R. Jellicoe.

Footnote 3: The General Board of the Navy, headed by Adm. Charles J. Badger.

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