File No. 763.72/5962
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Shipping is at the present time being sunk in the danger zone round the British Isles at a rate which exceeds that at which new tonnage of British origin can be turned out. It is to be foreseen that, if losses continue on the present scale, the available tonnage, leaving America’s contribution out of account, will ultimately be inadequate to secure the United Kingdom a sufficiency of foodstuffs, oil fuel and other essentials.
France and Italy are in a very similar position.
Under the present methods of operation adopted by the enemy submarines, attacks are made almost exclusively by torpedo. The submarine itself remains submerged and is rarely seen unless and until the ship attacked has been actually struck by a torpedo.
The guns carried by merchant vessels serve to keep the submarines below the surface, but are useless against them when submerged.
The expectation is entertained that the convoy system, when in working order and provided that sufficient destroyers are available to form an effective screen, will serve to minimise losses. Progress is also being made with the introduction of new offensive measures, which will, it is hoped, ultimately result in the destruction of enemy submarines at a rate sufficient to secure the safety of sea communications with the British Isles.
But the method at present in use, viz., the employment of armed small craft in an attempt to prevent the submarines from using their periscopes for fear of an attack by ram or bomb, offers the only remedy for the next few months. The success of this method obviously depends on small craft being available in very large numbers and the critical character of the present situation is due to the fact that the forces of this nature at the disposal of the British Admiralty are not at present adequate for the work of protecting shipping in the danger zone.
It is therefore of the utmost urgency that additional armed small craft should be made available for use in the area near the British and French coasts where the commercial routes converge. Invaluable assistance could be rendered, not only by destroyers, gunboats and submarines, but also by trawlers, yachts and tugs. But these are needed immediately and, if sent in as large numbers as possible, would, it is hoped, save what is manifestly a critical situation.
The United States is the only Allied country able to afford assistance of this kind, and you should lay the situation outlined above before the United States Government, emphasising its serious and urgent nature.
[Received July 2.]