DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Conger Reynolds correspondence, January 1918 | 1918-01-12 Conger Reynolds to Daphne Reynolds Page 5

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Conger Reynolds correspondence, January 1918

1918-01-12 Conger Reynolds to Daphne Reynolds Page 5

Please don't waste any worry about my safety in crossing. The way transports are being convoyed now they are about as safe from subs as from icebergs. I'd say the chances of being sunk that way are just about what they would be in peaceful time from the natural dangers of storm and ocean accident. Transports are safer than passenger steamers, and you know the subs haven't got any liners for a long time. 
I wired the news to you tonight. There has been a big storm west of here, though, that has brought down the telegraph lines, and I fear my message will not get through until late tomorrow. I gave you my New York address - Care of A.C. Sanborn, 149 E. Fortieth St. That will be good for anything sent up to next Thursday, let us say, and possibly much later. Our tacit understanding is that we shall get away within a week, but there is no surety of that. The last group of intelligence officers had to wait in New York six weeks. 
It is important that information concerning my imminent departure go no further than yourself and mother; You know the German secret service is everywhere, and the slightest hint, hitched up to other information, in their possession, might supply them valuable information concerning departure of troops. It is not likely that you have many German agents at Cottey; even though I'm as properly suspicious as an intelligence officer should be, I don't suspect your Kaiser -  loving Madame Old (that the name?). Yet it would do not harm for you to keep this letter under lock

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Please don't waste any worry about my safety in crossing. The way transports are being convoyed now they are about as safe from subs as from icebergs. I'd say the chances of being sunk that way are just about what they would be in peaceful time from the natural dangers of storm and ocean accident. Transports are safer than passenger steamers, and you know the subs haven't got any liners for a long time. I wired the news to you tonight. There has been a big storm west of here, though, that has brought down the telegraph lines, and I fear my message will not get through until late tomorrow. I gave you my New York address - Care of A.C. Sanborn, 149 E. Fortieth St. That will be good for anything sent up to next Thursday, let us say, and possibly much later. Our tacit understanding is that we shall get away within a week, but there is no surety of that. The last group of intelligence officers had to wait in New York six weeks. It is important that information concerning my imminent departure go no further than yourself and mother; You know the German secret service is everywhere, and the slightest hint, hitched up to other information, in their possession, might supply them valuable information concerning departure of troops. It is not likely that you have many German agents at Cottey; even though I'm as properly suspicious as an intelligence officer should be, I don't suspect your Kaiser - loving Madame Old (that the name?). Yet it would do not harm for you to keep this letter under lock