Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-29
BOTH ESSENTIAL TYPES
TO ROUND OUT U. S. NAVY
Captain Sims Argues for Need OF
Battle Cruisers as Well as
Battleships.
STUDY OF NORTH SEA BATTLE
Report Which Daniels Considered
Was Open to Criticism on Ground
OF Neutrality Finally Made Public
as Originally Submitted.

WASHINGTON. July 2s--Both battle
cruisers and battlcships are essential
types to round out the American navy.
is the opinion of Captain w s. Sims.
of the T. S. S. Nevada. in statement
TO Secretary of the Navy Daniels.
In the fight between the English and
Germans off Jutland II is said battle
cruisers bore the brunt of the Ger
man fire. Captain Sims. who testified
before the congressional Naval Com
mittees during the preparation of the
naval bill. says his opinion in regard
to the battle -cruiscrs and battleships
has not been changed by the North
Sea fight. Nothing in the available
Justifes any argument against the nc.
cessity of the battle cruiser.
Captain Sims's report. dated July 10.
never has been given out by the Navy
Department. Secretary Daniels took
exception to some passages in it as
open to criticism on grounds OF neu-
trality. and requested that another be
submitted In its place. 1t was made
pubic tonight as originally submitted.
EXTRAORDINARY RESISTANCE
OF BATTLE CRUISER VESSEL
Tho captain reported that the only
(, i
to naval critics was the extraordinary
resistance of tho battle cruiser vessel
when pitted against battleships. The
report says In part.
1T may be quite possible that GER
tain essential features of this battle
are being suppressed-the reasons
being both military and political
In view of this possible. and even
probable. condition. any opinions re-
gardins the action should be consid-
cred only with extreme reservation.
This reservation being clearly under
stood. the following comments are sub
mitted. based only upon the known es
sential facts:
referring TO an article by Mr..
Pollen in Land and Water. and particu
iarly TO the diagram illustrating the
relative positions of the British main
body and battle cruisers, the German
main body and their battle cruisers at
the time sight contact was first made
between the battle cruisers OF the two
sides. 1t will be noted that the situa.
ton was typical OF that considered
most probable in our war games on the
sea and on the game board in the
opening phases of n sea battle between
large forces.
Assuming the above forces In the
relative positions indicated. and =.
considering the great superiority of
the British, both in numbers and In
power. one of two things must have
happened:
Il. Either the German fleet would
have been decisively defeated; or,
80. 1t would have declined decisive
action nv retraatipe hob;oJ
fenses-and even the latter would have
inflicted upon the Germans a humilia-
ton impossible to conceal. much less
to claim as victory for the encour-
agement of their people.
NO INTENTION TO RISK
FLEET IN DECISIVE ACTION
There is no reason to believe that
the Germans have ever intended to risk
their fleet in n decisive action against
the greatly superior British fleet. They
are not in the habit of pittinr anv
military force against twice its nun,-
oers OF at least equally powerful units.
There Is, on the contrary. every reason
to believe that the Germans knew
exactly what they intended to do dur
Ing this last sortie of the grand feet.
ana It is reasonable presumption that
they accomplished what they intended
namely, the trapping and pounding of
the British battle cruisers before they
could be supported by the main body.
The surprise to naval critics. and
doubtless TO the Germans. was the
extraordinary resistance battle cruisers
can sustain and the extra ordinary
amount of damage they can infict,
even against battleships. This indi-
Gates a greatly enhanced value when
they are employed in their proper role
in general naval engagement"