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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

George I. Gay, Commissioner, Planning Division, to Professor J. A. Field, Staff of United States Shipping Board

Chronological Copy.                            File No. <42/2/4>

Cablegram Received Jun <12, 1918.> 12113.    SFM

Origin Opnav, Washington                    Ser. No.S.M. 154      C-3 June 14

29 ADR                 Confidential

Simsadus.

Boards Navy 154. From Gay to Field. Foreign vessels under charter to American citisens and to United States Shipping Boards on May 21st, 1918, by flag nationalities and thousand gross tons:

     Norwegian     85 Steamers              171 tons

                        _78_sailing vessels       ­_84 tons,

     Total            163 vessels               255 tons1

 

Danish   73 Steamers              148 tons

                        13_Sailing vessels       19 tons,

     Total              86 vessels               168 tons

 

Swedish   13 Steamers               34 tons

                        __5_Sailing Vessels       ­__6 tons,

     Total               18 vessels                40 tons.

 

British   5 Steamers               27 tons

                        _49_Sailing Vessels       ­_36 tons,2

     Total               54 vessels                63 tons

 

French     20_Sailing vessels       ­_50 tons3

     Total               20 vessels                50 tons.

 

Dutch       21_Steamers            68 tons,

     Total               21 Vessels                68 tons.

Japenese   2 Steamers              6 tons,

     Total                2 vessels                 6 tons.

 

Others   5 Steamers                9 tons

                        _11_Sailing Vessels       ­_14 tons,

     Total               16 vessels                23 tons.

 

Total    204 Steamers              464 tons

                        176_Sailing vessels       209 tons4

     Total              380 vessels                673 tons.

S.M. 154. (continued)      Confidential

Under charter to United States Shipping Boards in addition to above the following numbers and D.W. tonnage of foreign vessels by thousands:

               31 Danish Steamers                 145 D.W.

               31 Norwegian Steamers              163 D.W.

                6 Dutch Steamers                  39 D.W.

                2 Chinese Steamers                16 D.W.

                2 Siamese Steamers                  5 D.W.

                2 British Steamers                14 D.W.

                5 Russian Steamers                30 D.W.

               10 Swedish Steamers                35 D.W.

               23 Japanese Steamers               151 D.W.

                4 Uruguayan Steamers              31 D.W.

               73 French Sailing Vessels          241 D.W.

              _22 Norwegian Sailing Vessels       _63 D.W.

Total         211 Vessels                         933 D.W.

19012.  S.M. 154.

Benson.       

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. The copy is on a printed form so the first three lines, through the serial number, appear on the second page of the copy as well. The date is handwritten and is confirmed by the time/date stamp just before the signature. The cable was sent from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and for this reason carries the signature of Adm. William S. Benson. It was sent to the office of VAdm. William S. Sims to be delivered to Field.

Footnote 1: On the same day, Gay sent “corrections” to the list, including charters to U.S. citizens from Norway totaled 44 sailing vessels with gross tonnage of 69 tons, which in turn changed the total to 129 vessels and 240 tons. DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 2: Gay corrected these totals to 51 sailing vessels totaling 37 tons. Ibid.

Footnote 3: The French numbers changed to 21 sailing vessels, 51 tons. Ibid.

Footnote 4: Gay corrected this total to 145 sailing vessels, 196 tons and the grand total to 349 vessels, 660 tons. Ibid.

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