gian ships and to arm them, taking the risk of German
war against Norway. If war comes (as it is expected) England must
then defend Norway the best she can. And _then England may ask for
our big ships to help in these waters_. All this is yet in the
future, but possibly not far in the future.

For the present the only anti-submarine help is the help we may be
able to give to patrol the wide area off Ireland. If we had one
hundred destroyers to send, the job there could, I am told, be
quickly done. A third of that number will help mightily. At the
present rate of destruction more than four million tons will be
sunk before the summer is gone.

Such is this dire submarine danger. The English thought that they
controlled the sea; the Germans, that they were invincible on land.
Each side is losing where it thought itself strongest.

Admiral Sims is of the greatest help imaginable. Of course, I gave
him an office in one of our Embassy buildings, and the Admiralty
has given him an office also with them. He spends much of his time
there, and they have opened all doors and all desks and drawers to
him. He strikes me (and the English so regard him) as a man of
admirable judgment--unexcitable and indefatigable. I hope we'll
soon send a general over, to whom the War Department will act
similarly. Hoover, too, must have a good man here as, I dare say,
he has already made known. These will cover the Navy, the Army,
Food, and Shipping. Perhaps a Censor and an Intelligence (Secret
Service) group ought to come. I mean these for permanent--at least
indefinite--service. Exchange visits by a Congressional Committee
(such as the French and British make) and by high official persons
such as members of your Cabinet (such also as the French and
British make)--you will have got ideas about these from Mr.
Balfour.

W.H.P.

In the latter part of June Admiral Sims went to Queenstown. Admiral
Bayly, who directed the operation of the anti-submarine forces there,
had gone away for a brief rest, and Admiral Sims had taken over the
command of both the British and American forces at that point. This
experience gave Admiral Sims a first-hand picture of a really deplorable
situation. The crisis was so desperate that he made another appeal to
Page.

_From Admiral William S. Sims_

Admiralty