States Naval Forces in Europe
is of great and varied scope and continues to increase from week to
week. Despite this great extent and varied character of our naval
activities in Europe (as evidenced by the list given in par. 2 above)
and the fact that their growth by accretion has made a highly
centralized control more or less inevitable, the results speak for
themselves--all of our naval activities are cooperative in character and
all of them give every evidence of performing useful and appreciated
work wherever found.

[Sidenote: Under the Allied Naval War Council.]

Cooperation with the allied navies in general is effected by means of
the Allied Naval War Council, which meets monthly or as may be deemed
advisable. The membership is composed of the several naval ministers and
naval chiefs of staff and of officers specifically appointed to
represent them in their absence. Vice Admiral Sims is the United States
naval representative. The secretariat of the council is composed of
British officers and personnel, with officers of the allied navies
designated for liaison duties therewith.

The Allied Naval Council has advisory functions only and has liaison
with the Supreme War Council, with a view to coordinating and unifying
allied naval effort, both as regards naval work only and as regards
unity of action with military or land effort. Proposals made by the
several allied navies are considered and definite steps recommended to
be taken in the premises. As well the naval aspects of military (land)
proposals are examined into and passed upon. Conversely military (land)
aspects of naval activities are referred to the Supreme War Council for
consideration.

[Sidenote: Unity of effort on land and sea.]

[Sidenote: Council at first advisory.]

The Allied Naval Council has had, in common with the Supreme War
Council, until last spring the handicap of being only advisory in
function. The conclusions are recommended to the several Governments for
adoption, but there is no common instrumentality for carrying into
effect measures which require cooperation or coordination. This state of
affairs in the Supreme War Council has been remedied by the appointment
of an allied commander in chief in the person of Marshal Foch.

There can be no doubt but that the Supreme War Council has met and that
the Allied Naval Council continues to fill a great need as a sort of
clearing house for the necessarily varied proposals of the several