For the Chief of the Naval Staff [1] from Naval Attache. [2]

Tropic [3] 3.

Report of conversations book 2, appendix 7, paragraph I I and
B.U.S. (J) (41) fourth meeting [4], paragraph (2). Admiral
Danckwerts [5] has now returned from his visit to Commander-in-
Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet. [6]

(2) He reports that in the opinion of the Commander-in-Chief and
his staff, direct operations against Japan by Naval or Naval Air
Forces are not a practical proposition partly because the risk to
forces engaged, both from enemy attack and from difficulties of
refuelling, are not the ones they are prepared to accept, and
partly because they hold theoretically that unless continuously
repeated such raids are not of value.

(3) They are considering operations against Japanese bases in
Marshall and Caroline Islands as a kind of step by step offensive
South West but no definite plans to this end appear to be in
existence nor do they appear to be in possession of detailed
knowledge of Japanese defences and preparations there nor
necessary means of overcoming Japanese shore resistance.

(4) They are not in favour of operations conducted in Aleutian
Islands on account of bad weather in that neighbourhood and
distance from Pearl Harbour but they are shortly sending a force
to cruise in that neighbourhood as a supplementary gesture to
recent cruise of their ships to Australia and New Zealand.

(5) In general they hold to a hope that mere existence of United
States Pacific fleet based at Hawaii will produce a containing
effect on Japanese naval forces but Admiral Danckwerts does not
consider we can count upon any active demonstrations in Japanese
waters.

(6) Admiral Danckwerts emphasised the need for diverting Japanese
strength to northward and he is confident that Commander-in-Chief
of United States Pacific Fleet will reinvestigate every
possibility that can be suggested for more active operations
calculated to have greater containing effect on Japanese naval
forces.

(7) Admiral Danckwerts' telegraphed report to United Kingdom of
which foregoing is a summary has been repeated to Commander-in-
Chief, Far East. [7]

CASEY