Secretary of State, Washington.

RUSH

2165, May 28, 11 p.m.

PERSONAL AND SECRET FOR THE PRESIDENT FROM FORMER NAVAL PERSON.

"We are uplifted and fortified by your memorable declaration and by the far-reaching executive measures involved in the state emergency you have proclaimed. Pray accept, Mr. President, my heartfelt thanks. It was very kind of you to let me know before hand of the great advance you found it possible to make.

I have now also received your message about the impressive additional output you are sending to the Middle East in United States ships. Winant [U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom] will tell you what I managed to send out there secretly and the hopes I have of some good news coming to hand before long.

It seems most important to find the PRINZ EUGEN before she cuts in to our convoys. The Admiralty and [Rear Admiral] Ghormley are in the closest touch. But this is a new very fast and powerful ship, and there is much danger while she is at large for any convoy unprotected by battleship escort.

I will send you later the inside story of the fighting with the BISMARCK. She was a terrific ship and a masterpiece of naval construction. Her removal eases our battleship situation as we should have had to keep KING GEORGE FIFTH, PRINCE OF WALES and the two NELSONS practically tied to Scapa Flow to guard against a sortie of BISMARCK and TIRPITZ as they could choose their moment and we should have to allow for one of our ships refitting. Now it is a different story. The effect upon the Japanese will be highly beneficial. I expect they are doing all their sums again."

JOHNSON

HPD

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