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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 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels

COPY

Sent: June 11th, 1917.            To:   Secretary of the Navy.

(Operations).                                                            

Through:  Admiralty.

Sixteen.   Admiralty advises rendezvous for troop convoy be not north of forty seven and not east of seventeen (stop)1 Course from rendezvous to be indicated from here in accordance enemy submarine activity (stop) Importance that earliest possible information be given as to times arrivals each section of convoy at rendezvous in order destroyers may be prepared this duty and to cause minimum diversion from present duty.2

SIMS.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517. Below the close is a columnar list indicating in which files copies of this cable should be placed: “Copies: Confirmation./Subject file./Chronological./Original.”

Footnote 1: Latitude forty-seven degrees north is on the line that runs just south of the mouth of the Loire River and the port of Nantes in France; longitude seventeen degrees west is on a line that runs through eastern Iceland.

Footnote 2: Daniels sent Sims the information he requested on 16 June 1917. On 20 June, Adm. William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, cabled Sims with assurances that “as far as possible in advance” the “routes of sailing and probable dates of arrival” would be sent to him. See, Daniels to Sims, 16 June 1917 and Benson to Sims, 20 June 1917, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517.