Paris Peace Conf. 867.00/44

Admiral W. S. Benson to the Secretary of the Commission to Negotiate Peace ( Grew )

M–5/G

My Dear Mr. Grew: Replying to your letter of the 28th instant6 to which you attached a copy of the telegram from the American Minister at Athens,7 stating as his opinion, that it would be desirable for the United States to send an Admiral as High Commissioner at Constantinople; I beg to inform you that this matter was taken up a fortnight ago with the Navy Department, and by that Department was taken up with the Department of State.8

I have since been informed that the view of the Department of State is that it will be unnecessary to send an officer of high rank to Constantinople at the present time, but that a Flag Officer should be sent with a station-ship at Salonica. In conformance with this policy the U. S. S. Nahma has been ordered to Salonica and Rear-Admiral M. L. Bristol has been directed to proceed to that port and to hoist his flag on the Nahma.

Sincerely yours,

W. S. Benson
  1. Not found in Department files.
  2. Not printed.
  3. For papers previously printed on the subject of the appointment of an American Commissioner at Constantinople, see Foreign Relations. 1919, vol. ii, pp. 810 ff.