SD 15
                              DISPATCH
SD WASHINGTON DC JAN 16:
OPNAV FROM STATE:
CONFIDENTIAL:
FOLLOWING IS A PRAPHRASE TELEGRAM NO 13 FROM LEGATION, CAIRO
SENT JANUARY 14, 1941, NOON.  RECD 550 AM 15TH.  
QUOTE FROM OPIE FOR THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
   1. THE JANUARY 7 TO 13 MEDITERRANEAN SWEEP WAS MADE 
UP OF COVERING USUAL CONVOYS TO PIRAEUS AND TO AND
FROM MALTA, LIKEWISE FOUR MERCHANT VESSELS, HURRICANE
PLANES NUMBERING TWELVE , ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS NUMERING 
TWENTY-FOUR FOR MALTA, AND TANKS, PLANES, GUNS, AND
PERSONNEL OF THE R.A.F. TO GREECE TO PASS THROUGH THE STRAITS OF
SICILY.  FROM ALEXANDRIA TO MALTA THE FLEET WAS CONTINUOUSLY
SHADOWED.  HOWEVER, THE FLEET WAS NOT THE SUBJECT OF ANY AIR
ATTACKS.
     TWO ITALIAN DESTROYERS AT DAWN ON THE 10TH OF JANUARY
ATACKED THE SOUTHAMPTON, BONAVENTURA AND THE GLOUCESTER AS WELL
AS FOUR DESTROYERS, WHICH VESSELS HAD ESCOURTED WITH SUCCESS THE
CONVOY THROUGH THE STRAITS.  ONE DESTROYER WAS SUNK BY THE
BONAVENTURA, WHILE THE OTHER, ALTHOUGH HIT, ESCAPED.  THE
PANTELLERIA SHORE BATTERIES DID NOT OPEN FIRE, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE IN
RANGE OF THE BRITISH CRUISERS.  THE RECREATEING DESTROYER WAS
ATACKED BY A BRITISH ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROL PLANE.  HOWEVER, NO HITS
WERE MADE.
     THE DESTROYER GALLANT WHICH WAS ON THE STARBOARD BOW OF THE
BATTLESHIPS AND SCREENING THEM HAD, AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING,
HER BOW BLOWN OFF TO NUMBER 1