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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 the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations

Subject Copy.                      File No. <40/12>

Cablegram Sent July 24, 1918  MJK1

To   Opnav Washington.             Serial No. 1708

Prep. by R 2        COS2

29 ADR             

CONFIDENTIAL.

1708. My 8591, 9191, 40, 503.3    Further and more specific reports from submarines, Division Four, show following defects engines K-1, K-2, K-6:     Cams and rollers, handling gears, wrist pins and bushings, vertical cam shafts, fuel and lubricating pumps, badly worn. In general lost motion in all moving parts. Spray and scavenger valves and air compressor valves in poor condition. Batteries of E-1 in such bad condition that it is not considered safe to operate submerged. Requisitions for spareparts at estimated cost of about $400,000 have been forwarded to Bureau of Steam Engineering. K-2 is now at Lisbon for docking and overhaul of hull. Arrangements have also been made for docking other three vessels. In view of length of time probably required for supplying and shipping engine and battery spares necessary for placing these boats in good operating condition, I renew my recommendation that these vessels be replaced by new submarines, and that they be sent home for necessary repairs.  22324     1708

SIMS     

Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 1: Initials of the transcriber.

Footnote 2: Sims’ chief of Staff, Capt. Nathan C. Twining.

Footnote 3: See: Sims to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, 28 May 1918; Sims to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, 7 June 1918; Sims to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Nos. 40 and 503 have not been found.

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