While America was represented by Commanders, Japan, Italy, and France had all sent Admirals to London.  Page’s repeated requests for an American Admiral had so far met with no response, but the probability that this country would become involved in the war now gave new point to his representations.  In the latter part of March, Page renewed his request in still more urgent form, and this time the President and the Navy Department responded favourably.  The result was that, on April 9th, three days after the American declaration of war, Admiral Sims and his flag-lieutenant, Commander Babcock, presented themselves at the American Embassy.  There was little in the appearance of these men to suggest a violent naval demonstration against Germany.  Both wore civilian dress, their instructions having commanded them not to bring uniforms; both were travelling under assumed names, and both had no more definite orders than to investigate the naval situation and cable the results to Washington.  In spite of these attempts at secrecy, the British had learned that Admiral Sims was on the way; they rejoiced not only in this fact, but in the fact that Sims had been chosen, for there was no American naval officer whose professional reputation stood so high in the British Navy or who was so personally acceptable to British officialdom and the British public.  The Admiralty therefore met Admiral Sims at Liverpool, brought him to London in a special train, and, a few hours after his arrival, gave him the innermost secrets on the submarine situation—­secrets which were so dangerous that not all the members of the British Cabinet had been let into them.

Page welcomed Admiral Sims with a cordiality which that experienced sea veteran still gratefully remembers.  He at once turned over to him two rooms in the Embassy.  “You can have everything we’ve got,” the Ambassador said.  “If necessary to give you room, we’ll turn the whole Embassy force out into the street.”  The two men had not previously met, but in an instant they became close friends.  A common sympathy and a common enthusiasm were greatly needed at that crisis.  As soon as Admiral Sims had finished his interview with Admiral Jellicoe, he immediately sought out the Ambassador and laid all the facts before him.  Germany was winning the war.  Great Britain had only six weeks’ food supply on hand, and the submarines were sinking the ships at a rate which, unless the depredations should be checked, meant an early and unconditional surrender of the British Empire.  Only the help of the United States could prevent this calamity.

Page, of course, was aghast:  the facts and figures Admiral Sims gave him disclosed a situation which was even more desperate than he had imagined.  He advised the Admiral to cable the whole story immediately to Washington.  Admiral Sims at first had some difficulty in obtaining the Admiralty’s consent to doing this, and the reason was the one with which Page had long been familiar—­the fear, altogether