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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Captain William D. MacDougall, United States Naval Attaché at London, to the Office of Naval Intelligence

(B)1

Sent:  June 29, 1917.               To:  Navintel, Washington.

16012. The War Office recommends that an officer of the British cable censorship should go to the United States and remain there as long as he is needed, to assist the Chief cable censor. Moreover, an officer of the British Post Office who has served as a confidential advisor to the British Chief Censor can come for a few weeks in order to establish co-ordination. Do the United States authorities approve of this? Please reply.2 No. 19029.

MACDOUGALL        

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517. Someone has handwritten “Cablegram.” and “From: Alusna, London.” at the top of this copy. “Alusna” is an acronym that stands for American Legation United States Naval Attaché. The latter was then crossed through. Also in the top right-hand corner of the document is the identifying number “3-201.”

Footnote 1: Indicates the cipher used for this message.

Footnote 2: A reply has not been found but, as President Woodrow Wilson and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels thought the British system of censorship to be heavy-handed, it is doubtful that the United States Navy accepted this offer. See, Diary of Josephus Daniels, 17 April 1917, and 15 June 1917, DLC-MSS, Josephus Daniels Papers, Roll 1.

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