The Admiral handed Page the paper, saying that he had prepared it with the hope that the Ambassador would sign it and send it directly to President Wilson.

“It is quite apparent,” Admiral Sims said, “that the Department doesn’t believe what I have been saying.  Or they don’t believe what the British are saying.  They think that England is exaggerating the peril for reasons of its own.  They think I am hopelessly pro-British and that I am being used.  But if you’ll take it up directly with the President, then they may be convinced.”

Page put on his spectacles, took the paper, and read it through.  Then, looking over the rim of his glasses in his characteristic way, he leaned toward Admiral Sims and said: 

“Admiral, it isn’t half strong enough!  I think I can write a better despatch than that, myself!  At least let me try.”

He immediately took a pen and paper and in a few minutes he had written his own version which he gave the Admiral to read.  The latter was delighted with it and in a brief time it was on its way to Washington.

     From:  Ambassador Page. 
     To:  Secretary of State. 
     Sent:  27 April, 1917.

     Very confidential for Secretary and President

There is reason for the greatest alarm about the issue of the war caused by the increasing success of the German submarines.  I have it from official sources that during the week ending 22nd April, 88 ships of 237,000 tons, allied and neutral, were lost.  The number of vessels unsuccessfully attacked indicated a great increase in the number of submarines in action.

This means practically a million tons lost every month till the shorter days of autumn come.  By that time the sea will be about clear of shipping.  Most of the ships are sunk to the westward and southward of Ireland.  The British have in that area every available anti-submarine craft, but their force is so insufficient that they hardly discourage the submarines.

The British transport of troops and supplies is already strained to the utmost, and the maintenance of the armies in the field is threatened.  There is food enough here to last the civil population only not more than six weeks or two months.

Whatever help the United States may render at any time in the future, or in any theatre of the war, our help is now more seriously needed in this submarine area for the sake of all the Allies than it can ever be needed again, or anywhere else.

After talking over this critical situation with the Prime Minister and other members of the Government, I can not refrain from most strongly recommending the immediate sending over of every destroyer and all other craft that can be of anti-submarine use.  This seems to me the sharpest crisis of the war, and the most dangerous situation for the Allies that has arisen or could arise.