File No. 763.72112/11186
The Secretary of the Navy ( Daniels ) to the Secretary of State
Sir: I have received your letter of December 28, 1918, No. So—763.72112/11092, relative to the inquiry of Mr. Frederick A. Pike of Saint Paul, as to the methods pursued by the American Navy during the war, and quoting an article in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. 1
The United States Navy, in its war operations, was guided by the Instructions for the Navy of the United States Governing Maritime Warfare, issued in June, 1917, a copy of which is enclosed. As will be noted in the introduction to this book, it was “prepared in accordance with international law, treaties, and conventions to which [Page 932] the United States is a party, the statutes of the United States, and, where no international agreement or treaty provision exists covering any special point, in accordance with the practice and attitude of the United States as hitherto determined by court decisions and Executive pronouncements.”
The Navy Department has no knowledge of any violations of these instructions by United States naval vessels.
In general, United States naval vessels in Europe carried out the following operations:
- (a)
- A detachment of battleships operated with the British Grand Fleet from December, 1917, until December, 1918. The mission of this force was to contain the German High Seas Fleet, or to engage it if opportunity offered.
- (b)
- A mine force was engaged from June, 1918, until November, 1918, in planting a mine barrage from Norwegian territorial waters to the Orkney Islands. This barrage was intended to prevent the exit of submarines from the North Sea. The barrage was planted in a duly proclaimed area.1
- (c)
- Forces consisting of destroyers, yachts, gunboats, submarine chasers, and submarines operated from Queenstown, Plymouth, the coast of France, Gibraltar and Corfu. These vessels were engaged in escort duty for convoys and in direct operations against submarines.
- (d)
- United States naval air stations were established in France, Ireland, England, and Italy for anti-submarine operations.
- (e)
- The forces in home waters were organized for anti-submarine work.
- (f)
- A division of battleships operated from Berehaven, Ireland, in October-November, 1918, as a protection for convoys against enemy raiders.
By the time the United States entered the war, all enemy surface craft, with the exception of an isolated raider in the Pacific, had disappeared from the sea, and the main naval effort was directed to anti-submarine warfare.
Sincerely yours,