As a special compliment to the American Navy, Admiral Sims had been invited, a few days before, to assume command at Queenstown in the absence of Admiral Bayly on a brief vacation, and for several days the American flag floated from Admiralty House. "So far as exercising any control over sea operations was concerned, this invitation was not particularly important," said Admiral Sims. "Matters were running smoothly at the Queenstown station; Admiral Bayly's second in command could have kept the machine in working order; it was hardly likely in the few days that I was to command that any changes in policy would be initiated. The British Admiralty merely took this way of showing a great courtesy to the American Navy, and of emphasizing to the world the excellent relations that existed between the two services." In his book, "The Victory at Sea," Admiral Sims said: One day Admiral Bayly, Captain Pringle of the _U. S. S. Melville_, Captain Campbell, the Englishman whose exploits with mystery ships had given him world-wide fame, and myself, went out on the _Active_ to watch certain experiments with depth-charges. It was a highly imprudent thing to do, but that only added to the zest of the occasion from Admiral Bayly's point of view. "What a bag this would be for the Hun," he chuckled. "The American Commander-in-Chief, the British admiral commanding in Irish waters, a British and an American captain." In our mind's eye we could see our picture in the Berlin papers, four distinguished prisoners standing in a row. The destroyers which escorted the first troop convoys were, after they reached St. Nazaire, sent to the base in Ireland. By July 5th we had thirty-four destroyers at Queenstown. Thirty-seven vessels of the Force--35 destroyers and two tenders--had been sent to Europe, as follows: Destroyers and Date of Sailing Commanding Officer