The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-03
SIMS ANXIOUS TO
AIR Sensations
Naval Aid to President Admits
Responsibility for Row Over
Criticism Of Battleships.

\
WASHINGTON, March 2.--command-
er william II. Sims naval aide to Presi- |
dent Roosevelt, by his own statement
is responsible for the row over cEiti-
cisms of battleship construction. At
the outset Of his Testimony before the
Senate Committee on Naval Affairs to-
l. day he ruve the committee to under.
stand 1t could expect some sensations.
This was done in preliminary state-
ment outlining what be had to dn
with naval criticism" which he said
began back Of 1895, and was confined
| to official channels. "Much of my SER
| vice has dealt with these criticisms
| he said, and continued:
! II began when I was thirty six years
| old, and row J. am nearly fifty. put
this in because I am perslstently called
| q young man. I am older than ADJ
/ niral Capps, who has referred to me
as young man.
+. Continuing, he said he would have
to go into unpleasant facts. such as
charging officers or inventors with
the secretion OF official documents and
the refusal OF superior officers to ac-
lcept suggestions of value.
Upset by Procedure.
! The plan of Commander Sims to give
| Immediately by Senator Tillman, who
suggested that the witness be Instruct
ed to confne mis- testimony to alleged
faulty construction and to say moth
ing at .tis time of criticism made OF
personnel or incomplete organization
or other matters which are to be taken
Iup later. The commander asked that
4 he be permitted to continue his state
ment without interruption and that the
Senator's not cross-examine him until
he had concluded his statement. His
request was ignored.
When confined to critisms OF con-
struction, Commander Sims protested
that the procedure OF the committee
upset" him.
You would upset the committee II
You went into all of these things at
! this time" said Senator Tillman.
. Chairman Hale said the witness was
not to say anything now about ire
distance to criticism by naval officers"
as that was a matter of ethics.
/ Don't you care to know II the de-
partment has resisted crlticism?" asked
the commander.
Not from you" was the reply.
This incident furnishes an illustra-
ton of subsequent proceedings during
Commander Slms's testimony. He got
away from the line of inquiry again
and again. and members of the COM
mittee called him back sharply.
Statements Misleading.
"The armor belt on all our battle
ships is too low" Commander Sims
stated broadly in taking up these
subjects. He charged that the state
ments made by Rear-Admirals Con-
verse and Caps were misleading. IF
elk, al o,rt Nf nrt
without full bunkers-say on a cruise
to the Pacific-and should meet an
enemy-say In the West Indies-he
would. be court martialled,' said the
commander. There might be heavy
! sea running and the fleet not able to
use their guns for week. Then the
ships would need fuel bunkers." He
said that the logs of the ships of the
!, battleship fleet should be secured, and
J this would show the water line of all
the ships.
That's for US to get, not for you to
state said Chairman Hale.
). Clash with Capps.
Senator Tillman then came to the
rescue of the witness. The first
friendly word he had received:
"All the commander IS trying to say
: INTERCEPTED Mr.. Tillman. sis that the
/ Commander Sims said that the French
t allow for extra and unanticipatcd
, weights and that the Germans In de-
, signing ships figure on normal line
with bunkers full of coal. He said
, that when the American fleet arrived
at Rio De Janeiro the water lines of
! the Connecticut class were fully a
foot and half below normal. At the
conclusion Of the criticisms Of the
, water lines, which were made In the
most general terms Admiral Caps was
given permission to cross-examine tho
witness. The Admiral did this chiefly
by raising direct issue with the wit
{ ness. He denied that the German naval
constructors figure on full bunkers
in locating the water line; that the
logs of ship are accurate evidence,
and defied the witness to show that
, vessels were overdraft foot and a
: half upon arrival at Rio. Admiral
! Capps asked the witness IL he knew
whether the double bottoms OF the
ships were full of water when they
arrived at Rio. Commander Sims had
, mo data in this regard, so Admiral
| Caps commented that 1t was Obvious"
! that the witness had no data on which
Ito base mis- criticisms. We'll, I should
like to have the committee call Rear
Admiral Goodrich and officers of his
type to bear me out" said Commander
Sims.
"I'll make specific allusion to thai
! officer in few moments" said Ad.
niral Caps. Chairman Hale hastene(
) to say that it would not be necessary
3 for either officer to express his opin.
ion
Turret Construction.
3 The question of turret construction
was then taken up. The commander
2 gave graphic description OF the
!. open turret, with the direct hoists