Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-08
CONVOY SYSTEM
BEAT GE RMANY,
DECLARES SIMS
Commander Of American Fleet
in European Waters Returns
Home and Is Given EnthuS-
iaStiC Welcome.

icy MORNING JousNAl SPECIAL LEASED w,REI
New York, April THE convoy
system, which many naval men had
termed impracticable. overcame the
German submarine menace and fig
ured tremendously in the winning of
the war. Rear Admiral William s.
Sims, commander-in-ch of the
American navy's forces in European
waters, declared today on his arrival
here aboard the British liner Maure-
tania.
Depth charges and listening de-
vices, he said, contributed materially
to success in maintaining practically
unbroken the transatlantic bridge"
of transports and supplies ship essen
tal to the allied victory, as did the
magnificent work. of the merchant
seamen, who took their cargoes
across, convoy or no convoy"
But it was the conveying scheme,
worked out to a fine detail by the
combined fleets of the associated
powers, the officer asserted, which
made possible the transportation and
supplying of the great American
force whose appearance in battle with
the allies turned the tide against the
German invaders on the western
front.
Germany was winng the war. the
rear admiral stated. when he arrived
in England the day after the United
States became a belligerent. Teuton
interference with allied shipping. he
added, was serious problem. solved
only when conferences of the British,
American and allied commands work.
ed out and nut into practice the sys-
tenn of protecting vital ships which
prevailed untH the cessation of hos
| tilities.
A vice admiral while he was abroad,
under a temporary ranking, Sims re-
| turned in the uniform of rear adj
miral-his rank before the war.
When he left the Mauritania. whose
| progress into the harbor was marked
| by a reception as picturesque as il
was eloquent of the nations and cityss
| tribute to a homecoming victor. the
{, rear admiral boarded the naval yacht
Aramis and stepped into the circle of
his family
Greeting his wife, three children
and three sisters, the officer chatted
| happily, declaring that his greatest
regret in connection with the war
/ was his inability to have his family
with him, a hardship which he shared
with 5000 officers under his com-
mand tss
From his family the returning
commander turned to Rear Admiral
d. H.. Burrage, who extended the for
NAL welcome of the navy department.
To this was added by Mayor Hylan
| of the city of New York. when the
Aramis reached the Battery. There
also greetings were extended by rep
| resentatives of Rear Admiral Gleayes
| of the naval transport service and
| Rodman Wanamaker, chairman of the
mayors committee on welcome to
home coming troops.
Heralded by Planes.
The Mauretana entered the harbor
| in mid afternoon, delayed since early
| morning, by fog which shrouded the
| coastal waters for many miles. A great
fleet of airplanes. their wings flash
| ing in the sun which succeeded the
mornings fog, heralded the approach
of the transport. bearing the admiral,
his staff and 1900 troops, and escort
ed by a flotilla of destroyers and
smaller naval craft. In the din of sa-
lutes from the harbor forts, whistles
from welcoming vessels and cheers OF
the officers soldier shipmates, the big
vessel lay to off Quarantine while the
trans shipment took place.
As the admiral stepped aboard the
naval yacht, his flag shot up the
mainmast and the guardian ship Am
phitrite, which had withheld its sa-
lutte while he was aboard a foreign
vessel, loosed its guns.
The escorting destroyers remained
hut In ni Ia NJ &C
with pair of kite balloons lowed by
launches proceeded on up the har'
Dor, continuing the welcome until the
welcome had set foot on home soil
From the Battery the party wen
by automobile to an uptown hotel. The
admiral passed through eheerins
crowds and was showered by confetti
| from office windows.
Admiral Sims declared the relation!
between the forces and the British
had been ideal.
I'VE went over there to get into the
war in any way we could do the mos
good" he stated "Al maneuvers O
| the grand fleet were the result of con
ferences between the British AM
American staffs and there were M
differences of opinion. We operates
between 500 and 400 vessels, manned
BY $4,000 officers and men, in com
| plete harmony with the British. Re
lations now, with $50 vessels and 25.
600 men remaining, are just as cor
dial
He added that American nava
craft had operated from the Whit
sea to Constantinople, assisting tn
: war department. shipping board an
| relief commissions.
I'VE were minority in the allie
fleet" he continued, "but We had tn
satisfaction Of knowing that in qualit
we ranked, ship for ship, with tn
best of them
OF the merchant seamen, the rea
admiral spoke in high praise, declai
ing they stood by us through 1t al
and some of them, it seemed, coul
not get torpedoed often enough
suit them" He said: There migt
have been a different story to tell
but for the courage Of these men
sticking to their posts and freightin
American supplies 20 Europe. regart
less Of whether conveys were avails
BILE The war, he added, had give
both the navy and the merchant m;
rine true appreciation of the other
| worth