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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

                    File No. 5/4/3.

CABLEGRAM SENT 12 June 1918.  RES1

To: Opnav, Washington.                       Serial No. 9423

Prep. by <C-1>               SX       D.R.       31 ARD.    

9423. Your 4700 my 84382 Admiralty strongly urges that U.S. merchant vessels be not permitted communicate with owners in West Atlantic as principle has been adopted by all other Allies forbidding this communication in all waters regardless enemy activity. Relaxation these regulations would lead to complaints by mercantile marine of other Allies. Mercantile marine has not been seriously gandicapped [i.e., handicapped] by prohibition of such communication Period Radio silence is considered valuable precaution which should override consideration from business point of view.

          As regards proposal number six Admiralty3 declare impracticable show owners name as separate column in lists of commercial call signs due impossibility keeping list up to date.

          Admiralty strongly requests no press be sent on six hundred meter wave.4 <18012> 9423

SIMS.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

Footnote 1: Initials of the transcriber.

Footnote 2: See: William S. Benson to Sims, 7 April 1918. Sims’ cable has not been found.

Footnote 3: See, Ibid.

Footnote 4: Presumably this means that the British Admiralty was requesting that the press not be able to use a certain radio frequency. For the response, see: Benson to Sims, 17 June 1918.

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