Troops to France

Press Notice.

Navy Department.

Senator Swanson, Acting Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee of the Senate, gave out today the following letter he had received from Secretary Daniels, forwarding the report of Rear Admiral Gleaves, Commander of the Cruiser Force, giving in detail the attack of German submarines upon the first transports carrying troops to France:

August 1, 1917
Dear Mr. Chairman:
On the 21st day of July, in response to an inquiry from the Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee of the Senate, requesting information with reference to the safe arrival of all the troops in the first transports which the Navy convoyed to France, I addressesd a communication giving the information requested to the Chairman of the Committee.

In that letter it was stated that it had been the immemorial custom of the Navy Department not to give out the exact text of any cable because publication might enable the enemy to learn the naval code, but I added:

"The cablegrams from the Rear Admiral, which have not been given to the public for reasons stated above, are, of course, subject to the inspection of the Naval Affairs Committee."

I write now to say that the full report of Rear Admiral Gleaves, Commander of the Cruiser Force, has been received. It was sent in accordance with the regulations, to Admiral Mayo, Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet, and by him to the Chief of Naval Operations. It was written prior to Admiral Gleaves's departure from France. I am sending you the exact text of the report of Rear Admiral Gleaves, giving in detail the account of the submarine attacks for the use of the Naval Affairs Committee. I am also sending you a copy for the press exactly in the words of the official report, the only changes being that the names of the ships are represented by letter and not by the real name of the ship, with the omission also of certain military information that cannot be published under naval regulations. However, the omissions are noted. Everything with reference to the attacks of the submarines is given in the exact words of the official report. It is a matter of gratification that none of these attacks were successful and I have written to Rear Admiral Gleaves congratulating him and the officers and men upon the successful completion of the hazardous voyage in the face of the submarine attacks.

Josephus Daniels.

Hon. Claude A. Swanson,
Acting Chairman,
Naval Affairs Committee

United States Senate.

(Enclosure.)