I was asked by Hornbeck [1] today if informal visits to Australian
waters would be agreeable to the Australian Government of a
detachment consisting of two cruisers, CHICAGO and PORTLAND, plus
five destroyers CLARK, CASSIN, CONYNGHAM, DOWNES and REID, all
under the command of Rear Admiral John H. Newton, United States
Navy, whose flagship is CHICAGO.

It is proposed that the above detachment should arrive at Sydney
on March 20th and depart March 23rd arriving Brisbane March 25th
and depart March 28th.

They wish arrangements to be made as secret as possible and
especially ask that the fact of such proposed visits should be
kept completely secret until the day before scheduled arrival of
vessels at Sydney. United States Navy Office expects to confine
its press release to statement that this is a training cruise.

Vessels have actually left Samoa and are on their way.

Grateful for formal agreement at earliest.

I said that undoubtedly Australia would wish to make some advance
entertainment arrangements for the officers and men, but he
earnestly asked that nothing be done that might give a hint
earlier than the day before the arrival. I am telegraphing Menzies
[2] briefly on the above. [3]

CASEY