The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-03-03
AIDE 70 PRESIDENT ADMITS STIR. n
RING UP ROW OVER NAVY
CONSTRUCTION.
.CAPP!S YER Sl|S sims
The Two ofueers Become Angry ss-
fore the Senate Committee ana -
change Compliments Sim. Finds
Friend Il Tlllman capps Denies
All stms' Assertions.

Washington. March Commander
William H. Sims, naval aide to Presi.
dent Roosevelt, by his swn statement,
is responsible for the ''row'' over
criticisms Of battleship constructions.
At the outset OF his testimony before
the senate committee on naval ahairs
today he said he would have to 20
into unpleasant facts, such az charg-
ing officers or inventors with having
made misleading statements. the u
cretion OF on1cial documents and the
refusal Of superior ofacers to accept
suggestions Of value.
The plan OF Commander Sims to-
give the committee 4 sensation was
upset BY Senator Tillman, who sug.
gested that the witness be instructed
to confine his testimony to alleged
faulty construction ana 10 say moth
ing at this time Of criticisms madetof
personal or Incomplete organization
Or other matters which are to be TAX
en- up later. The commander asked
that he be permitted to continue his
statement without interruption and
that the senators would not cross ~
anime him until he had concluded his
statement in his own way. His re-
guest will be- ignored.
Amor esit Too Low. 81
He got away from the line oe -
quiry again and again and members
|of the committee called him hack
sharply.
"The armor bolt on ali our battle
ships is too low" Commander Sims
stated broadly. He charged that ~
statements made by Rear Admirah
Converse and Capps were misleading.
"If commander should 50 out Of
port without full bunkers on |
cruise to ~ Pacific and should meet
m snemy say IN the West indies
he would b court martlaled,* said
the commander. There might be !
heavy 80 running and the fees
might not be able to use their guns
fsr : week Then the ships would
need fuel IN the bunkers.''
No said that the logs Of the battle
ships should 30 secured and these
would show the waterline Of III tho
ships.
"Thas . for % to get. not Tor ron
e state" !" said Chairman Hals.
Senator Tillman then came To tho
rescus Of the witness the first friend
~ word he had received. IAN the
commander u trying 70 say intsr-
jeeted Nr. TulmAn, ''is that the log
books vill bear ont his statements.'' :
Foreign Ways
Commander Gins said that the
French allow for extra ana anticipat-
ed weights and that the Germans n
designing ships figure on : normal
limo With full bunkers. He said that
when the American feet arrived at
Rio Janeiro the waterlines OF the
Connecticut were . foot below tho
water. 81 " t1sS58 ss8
It vas denied by Admiral Capps
that German constructors figure on
full bunkers IN locating tho water
line; that the logs 81 ! ship are aeon
rate evidence ana tho witness Was
defed TO show that vessels were over
draft . foot and ! hall upon arrival C \
Rio Janeiro. 5 VI
II should nke to have the counties
call Rear Admiral Goodrich and ON.
GERS Of this typo 70 bear me out, said
Commander Sims.
"I1l mako allusion to that omcer q
. moment sAid Admiral Capps. His
tone Indicated that the "allusion.
would not % complimentary and
Chairman Hale hastened 70 say that
it would not bs necessary for either
ofncer to express his own opinion.
plNaEE JUST ESCAPED.
Mrs. Martin Had Planned Death u
Z Millionaire
Oakland, March 2.Befors the