William Sowden Sims to Woodrow Wilson

London – April 14th Noon.
Very Confidential. Necessity for utmost secrecy cannot be over stated.
Message from Admiral Sims to the Navy Department: “Present situation as follows: The submarine situation is very much more serious than realized in the U. S. Rapidity of construction and recent success in operation constitute the real crisis of the war. The submarine morale of the enemy has not been broken. There have been no voluntary surrenders and only about fifty-four known in fact to have been captured or sunk. American press reports are greatly in error. Recent reports of surrenders were circulated to depreciate the morale of the enemy and results have proved very satisfactory. Supplies and communications of all forces on all fronts including the Russian front are threatened and the control of the sea is actually at stake. German submarines are constantly extending their operations into the Atlantic increasing areas and difficulty of patrol.
The situation in Russia is critical. Mutiny Baltic fleet. 85 admirals, captains and commanders murdered. Insubordination. Some arming.
During February total British allied and neutral shipping lost amounted to 536,000 tons; during March 571,000 tons and during first ten days of April 205,000 tons. With better weather and short nights losses are increasing. It has been impossible to prevent the escape of some raiders during long nights but chances are better now. Germany has notified allies that sinking of hospital ships will be continued. This is done in order to draw destroyers away from operations against submarines to convoy hospital ships thus demanding large convoy forces for all areas which were not before necessary and also causing danger of partially immobilizing the main fleet. Immense theatre and length and number lines communications and material deterioration consequent upon three years continuous operation in distant fields with inadequate base facilities have dangerously strained naval forces. The foregoing applies to all sea forces with the exception of the Grand fleet. The enemy has 64 small and 6 large submarine mine layers. The former carry 18 mines, the latter 34 and also torpedoes and guns. Completion of all classes of submarines approaches 3 per week for actual commission.
Immediate active cooperation is imperative in order to insure and accelerate defeat submarine campaign. The issue is and must inevitably be decided at the focus of all lines of communication in Eastern Atlantic.
In view of foregoing recommend with all urgency the following immediate cooperation:sSend maximum number destroyers accompanied by small anti-submarine craft. The former to patrol designated high sea area westward Ireland based Queenstown advanced base Bantry Bay, the latter to be inside (?) patrol for destroyers. Small craft should be light dcraft and high speed as possible. However low speed useful as well.Send Also repair ships and staff for base. Advise sending continuous fuel supply although docks and oil available. It is necessary to contain enemy main fleet which demands maximum conservation British main fleet. So far there is no base available for this force south of Scotland.
For the present U. S. battleships can serve no useful purpose in this area except two dreadnought divisions might be based Brest for moral effect against anticipated raids in the channel by heavy enemy ships out of reach of the British main fleet.
Merchant tonnage and continuous augmentation of anti-submarine craft is the principal other urgent practical cooperation.
Sea going tugs would be of great use for towing present large amount sailing tonnage through the dangerous areas.
In order to break enemy submarine morale and accelerate accomplishment of paramount American objective, the cooperation outlined herein should be expedited with the utmost dispatch.
It is very likely that the enemy will make submarine mine laying raids our coast or Caribbean to divert attention and keep U. S. forces away from the critical area Eastern Atlantic through effect upon public opinion. The difficulty of maintaining submarine bases and focussing of shipping this side will restrict such operations to minor importance although they should be effectively opposed by keeping channels swept on soundings. Majority of enemy submarines mines are anchored at not over fifty fathoms although they have been anchored as deep as 90. Equally distributed mines do not rise from bottom to set depth until 24 to 48 hours after laying. So far all experience shows that submarines never lay mines out of sight of landmarks or lights owing to danger to themselves if the location of mines is unknown to them.
The paramount immediate necessity is anti-submarine work, where it will be most effective, and a maximum augmentation of our merchant tonnage.Mr. Hoover informs me that it is claimed that there is only three weeks supply of grain in England not counting that in retail stores.Hoover will sail for America in a fortnight. SIMS.”P A G E.