Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-16
U.S.M|NE BARRAGE
APPROVED BY SIMS,
WAS GREAT STROKE
Admiral Testifies Bluff by Ger.
many Would Have Paralyzcd
Transport Service.
DEGREES NAVY'S PLANS
TO END U-BOAT RAIDS
ny Associated Press to Every Evening


Washington. March lGs-A little
bluff by the Germans in 1918 at the
crucial point of the war would have
pafalyzcd transportation Of soldiers and
war materials between this cuurtry and
Europe, Rear Admiral Sims today told
the Senate naval subcommittee
Information from authentic sources
indicating that the Germans were building
two heavily armared modern hattls.
cruisers Tor a desperate last hope raiel
against troop ship conveys was transmit
ted to the navy department, Admiral
Sims said, and immediately hr was be-
sleEed with cabesrains from Washington
outlining various plans uf artiun. alI of
which, he testified, wern lmpfacfieable
although such contingertey had been
under discussion for nearly year and
there had been ample time To prepare.
IF the enemy bad only known. said
Admiral Sims, "all he need have done was
70 make a series of bluffs involving little
risk 10 himself aud we would have done
the rest. Shipping would have Ieen
paralyzed
Admiral sifas discussed az length four
Iians propssed b, Z ~. ..Heuurs = mt for
deieasirg .nrpsn t4~-tAus-.ev srs sshey
ware 4 protected iane throAth the dan
ger zonn; the blocking of German ports
by sinking ships in the entrance; mine
barriers OF nets and mines of types then
IN use; mime barriers of mines of nesy
type. All except the last were imprar-
ticable, he declared and much time was
wasted 10y the insistoncc of the department
that they be tried.
The department wished to land "soIar
r'icxis blow against the submarine cam
IA. ht. Al a n
many schemes which long before had been
rejected by the allies. Such plan was that
Of sinking old battieships and cruisers in
the entrances to all German submarine
base harbors. Admiral Sims asserted. and
only alter he had pointed out that the
scheme would require the sinking of 40
battieships and az cruisers and six months
of preparation did the department agree
to abandon the plan. II took seven
months OF effort to bring the Washington
officials TO the final conclusion he said.
On May i, 1917, the Navy Depart.
ment first suggested the idea Of a barrace
OF mines across the North Sea Ia tran the
German sea forces, Admiral SAID and at
that time he opposed the plan because the
allies could not afford to divert the large
numbers OF men and ships and huge
of material necessary 10 make
the project a success, he declared. and
also because the old type mines thon in |
use were not practicable for such q pur-
pose.
Later when the submarine campaign |
vas well IN hand and new tyre OF an |
emma mine developed in this country. he !
the idea, ne said, and helped to /
expedite the laying of the barrage The
esult, the North Sea mine barrage, wa
! magnificent achievement the admir-
aid, rejecting great credit on the nay
nd the officers and men who wore re-
ponsible for the success of the Project. !
Admiral Sims said he particularly wish.
d to refute an assertion w "A 3ircal4fe"
hat the department mad pronosed and
rom the first favored the y barrar-e
roiect and that he VS. "abo The only
tiieer IN the navy VINO had ever opposed
J."
The Navy Department at the time fhe
trited States entered the war, Admiral
inns said, was not very much better
horned than the general public OF actual
onditlons IN the belligerent countries. /
nd had b. little trustworthy inforrna- !
on regardIAg such matters as submarine
sses, shipping losses, anti-submarine
easureS or other matters concerning
hich complete knowledge was essential !
J the development of effective plans for
'mbatting the submarine Menace
Even after he arrived in England and
ld access to the information he could
't place it at the disposal of the depart
ent Immediately, he added, because Of
e smailness of his staff