Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-03
VAIN EFFORT 70 SPRING SENSATION
Senators Decline to Allow Witness to
Tell His story I'm Full, and Care
sulIy Keep Him on the Beaten
Track Set for Observation-Disclosures
Belt TOO Low.
(Hy Associated prcsyl

Commander William S. Sims. naval
aid 10 President Roosevelt by his own
s'n ement is responsible for the ROW"
over criticisms OF battleship con-
struction. At the outset of his tcsti-
mony before the Senate committee
on naval affairs today he gave the
committee to understand 1t could cx-
pee, some sensations. II was done
in a preliminary statement outlining
what he had TO do with naval crit-
cism.' which he said began back OF
1898 and was confined 10 official
channels.
"Aluch of my service has dealt
with these criticisms he said. IL be-
gan when was &c years old and now
] am nearly 90. put this IN because
am persistcntly called young man.
am older than Admiral Capps who
has referred TO me as young
man"
UNPLEASANT Facts"
Continuing, he said he would have
10 30 into unpleasant facts. such as
charging officers or inventors with
having made misleading statements.
the secretion of official documents.
aud the refusal of superior officers TO
accept suggestions Of value.
The plan OF Commander Sims TO
give the committee q sensation was
upset Immediately by Senator Till
man. who suggested that the witness
he instructed to confne his testimony
TO alleged faulty con5 ructlon and to
say nothing at this time of criticism
nd nf t,,o
nization or other matters which are
10 be taken up later
Tho commander asked that he be
permitted TO continue his statement
without Interruption, and that tho
senators not cross examine him until
he had concluded his statement.
Committee "Upset" tsm.
When confined 10 cri. icisms OF
construction Commander Sims pro-
tested that the procedure of the
committee upset" him.
You would upset the committee If
you webt into all of these things at
his time said Senator Tillman.
Chairman Hale said the witness was
not TO say anything now about RE
sistance TO criticisms by naval on
GERS" as that was matter of ethics.
"DorT you care to know IL the de-
partmont has resisted criticism?" ask
or the commander.
Not from you" was the reply.
Hard to Keep Him en- Track.
Tho incident furnished an illusira-
ton Of subsequent proceedings during
Commander Sims testimony. He got
away from The line of inquiry again
and again and members of ,he com
mittcc called lin back sharply.
The armor belt on all our battle
ships is too low" Commander Sims
stated broadly in taking up the sub
jcct lie charged that the statements
made by Rear Admirals Converse ana
Caps we're misleading.
III en- admiral should 30 on; OF port
without full bunkers-say on n cruise
10 the Pecilin-and SHOULD meet an
cncny-say in tic West Indics-hc
would be court mar;ialcd." said tho
commander.
There might be heavy seas RIM
ming and tho fleet not able to Use
their guns for a week Then the
ships would need fuel bnnkers. lie
said that tho logs of the ships of the
batilesiip fcci should be secured and
they would show the waterlinc Of all
the ships
That's for us TO get, not for you
TO state : said Chairman Hale.
Senator Tillnan then came TO the
rescue of The witness first FREUD
ly word he had received: All the
commander is trying TO say" inter
iecicd Mr. Tillman, lis. thai the log
books viii bear out his statements"
"Frcnoh and German Policies.
Commander Sims said that tho
French allow for extra aud unantic-
ipated Weights and that-the Germans.
in designing ships, figure on a normal
limo with bllnkers full OF coal. He
said uhai whom the American feet ar
rived at RIO lie Jhneiro. the watcr-
lines OF tho Connecticut class were