The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-03
SIMS PROMISES
 NEW SENSATION Commander Responsible for Ma val Criticisms Threatens to Go Into Unpleas-
 ant Facts.
SHUT OFF BY COMMITTEE
Characterizes Gunnery of American Ships at Santiago as Most Disgracefml Exhibition
 Ever Seen.

Washington, March 2.-Command- CT William H. Sims, naval aide to President Roosevelt, by his own state ment is responsible for the row |, over criticisms of battleship construc- tion At the outset of his testimony | before the senate committee on naval affairs to-day he gave the committee to understand it could expect some sensations This was done in a pre- liminary statement outlining what he had to do with naval criticism, ' which, he said, began back of 1895, and was confined to official chan nels'
 Much of my service has dealt with these criticisms" he said, and contin- ued. "I began when I was thirty six years old and now 1 am nearly fifty, l put this in because I am persistently called young man. I am older than ' Admiral Capps, who has referred to me as a young man
 Continuing, he said he would have ! to go into unpleasant facts, such as charging officers or inventors with . having made misleading statements, the secretion of official documents and the refusal of superior officers to ac- cept suggestions of value.
 The plan of Commander Sims to give the committee sensation was upset Immediately by Senator Tillman, who suggested that the witness be in- structed to confne his testimony to al- legged faulty construction and to say nothing, at this time, of criticism made of personnel, or incomplete or ganization, or other matters which are to be taken up later The com mander asked that he be permitted to continue his statement without in- terruption, and that the senators should not cross-examine him until he had concluded his statement in his own way His request was ignored.
 When confined to criticisms of con struction Commander Sims protested that the procedure of the committed "upset'' him.
 You would upset the committee if you went into all these things at this time,' said Senator Tillman.
 Chairman Hale said the witness was not to say anything now about resistance. to criticism by naval af- fairs" as that was g matter of ethics.
 Don't you care to know if the de- partment has resisted criticism ?'' asked the commander.
 Not from you" was the reply.
 This incident furnished an ilustra- ton of subsequent proceedings dur ing Commander sims testimony He got away from the line of inquiry agair and again and members of the com. mittee called him back sharply.
 The armor belt on all our battle ships is too low Commander Sims stated broadly. He charged that tht statements made by Read Admiral' Converse and Capps were misleading If any admiral should go out of DOT without full bunkers-say on a cruist to the Pacifc-and should meet al enemy. say in the West Indies. h' would be court martaled," said tn, commander. There might be heavy sea running and the fleet no be able to use their guns for week Then the ships would need full bunk CTS" He said that the logs of tn, ships of the battleship fleet should b. secured and these would show tn water line of all the ships.
 That's for us to get; not for yo to state" said Chairman Hale.
 Senator Tillman then came to tn rescue of the witness-the first friend lv word he had received. All tn commander is trying to say" inter iected Mir Tillman lis that the To books will hear out his statements. Commander Sims said that the Frenc allow for extra and unanticipate weights, and that the Germans in dc signing ships figure on a normal lin with bunkers full of coal. He sai that when the American fleet arrive at Rio de Janeiro the water lines ( the Connecticut class were fully a foC and half below normal.
 At the conclusion of the criticisms ( the water lines. which were made the most general terms, Admiral Capr was given permission to cross-examin fine witness The admiral did tn chiefly by raising direct issue with tn WllHtSS. ilt ttltiA tiib NNii'i'' naval constructors figure on full bunk CTS In locating the water line: that tl logs of ship are accurate evidenC and defied the witness to show ths vessels were overdraft a foot and a ha upon arrival at Rio.
 Gunnery was referred to incidental by Senator Perkins, and Senator Til man spoke Of the record made at SaI tiago as modern glory" Command Sims characterized the shooting by Il American squadron as the most di graceful exhibition of gunnery tn ever took place on the face of il globe" He said that only 1 1-s D. cent.of hits were averaged and four D cent. was the best made by any of tl hig guns. Our gunners could n shoot at all he said. The Spaniar were in a woeful condition said u witness. Tor they could have escap' easily
 When Commander Sims concluded h statement he remarked that he had n said hardly anything of what he wan ed 70 say
 The investigation will be resumed | morrow
 DANGER POINT PASSED.