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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Admiral Ferdinand Jean Jacques de Bon, Chief of the French Naval Staff to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

COPY

RECEIVED: June 19, 1917.

FROM:     Ministry of Marine, Paris (Via Admiralty).

TO:           Commander-in-Chief, Queenstown.

     486. Following for Admiral Sims. French Naval Attache1 has received the following from Minister of Marine, Paris.2

First telegram begins:-

     751. Very secret. Please ask Admiral Sims if he agrees with the following proposals. Second rendezvous for the convoy coming from America will be as follows: Group 1 latitude 47.30 N. Longitude 10.30 W. 25th June at 4 a.m. Group 2 latitude 46.40 N. Longitude 11.30 W. 25th June at 6 p.m.     Group 3 Latitude 47-00 N. Longitude 10-00 W. 27th June at 4 a.m. Longitude West of Greenwich ends.

Second telegram begins -

     754. Most secret. Reference my 751. According to the Communication from Admiral Sims forwarded by Admiralty it seems likely that the proposals I addressed to the Admiral concerning the rendezvous to which our destroyers should repair are not acceptable.3 In this case I trust that Admiral Sims will send me as soon as possible information as to the points to which he wishes to see our ships proceed as well as the date and time of arrival there. It is desirable that the points in question should be not more than 300 miles from the French coast.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG45, Entry 517B. Identification number “3” appears in the upper right-hand corner.

Footnote 1: Adm. Maurice Henri Mercier de Lostende.

Footnote 2: Adm. Marie-Jean-Lucien Lacaze.

Footnote 3: This likely refers to another telegram Sims sent on the same day, although there is insufficient context to say for certain. See, Sims to Admiralty, 19 June 1917, DNA, RG45, Entry 517B.

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