the North
Sea, and some reconnaissance work in the direction of the Dutch coast.

[Sidenote: Day and night bombing squadrons.]

(_c_) _The Northern Bombing Group_, Captain D.C. Hanrahan, is under the
vice admiral commanding at Dover, whose jurisdiction extends to naval
aviation units in northern France in the vicinity of Calais and
Dunkerque. The day bombing squadrons are manned by marines; the night
bombing squadrons by the Navy. There has been some delay in the
acquisition of suitable night bombing planes, but their delivery will
find all in readiness to go immediately to work. The British prescribe
the objectives and designate the available free flying time; the
operations themselves are carried out by our own personnel. The seaplane
station at Dunkerque has operated successfully under the handicap of
limited and difficult water area in which to take off and to land.

[Sidenote: The base at Eastleigh.]

(_d_) _The Assembly, Repair, and Supply Station at Eastleigh_ was
brought into being primarily for the Northern Bombing Group because of
the difficulties of transportation to and from the general aviation base
at Pauillac. It also does necessary work for Killingholme and for the
air stations in Ireland. This base, when visited, was in process of
completion and gave every evidence of purpose and capacity to meet all
requirements likely to be made of it.

III. _Activities in Cooperation with the French._

[Sidenote: Vice Admiral Wilson's command.]

Aside from the cooperation effected by the force commander with the
French Ministry of Marine through the naval staff representative in
Paris on matters of general policy, actual cooperation is carried on by
Vice Admiral H.B. Wilson, commander United States naval forces in
France, whose headquarters are maintained in Brest.

[Sidenote: The coastal convoy system.]

It is deemed worthy of special remark that whereas practically all
cooperation with the British is effected by operating as units under
British control, cooperation with the French is arranged on a basis that
leaves to the United States naval forces a very large measure of
initiative. This is particularly true in regard to troopships destined
to French ports, which are provided with escort and routed in and out
wholly from the Brest headquarters which is kept fully informed as to
routes and positions of British-controlled convoys and as to locations
of submarine activities and has to so adjust route