The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-03-13
INFORMATION
WAS WITHHELD
Admiral Sims Claims Navy
Department Did Not
Tell of Plans
DELAY AND CON-
FUSION RESULTED
Allied Teamwork Was I'M
paired, He Told Sen
ate Committee

Washington, d. c., March l3.--Docu-
mentary evidence in support of his
charge that the navy department failed
to keep him informed as to its policies
and plans, was presented to-day by
Rear Admiral Sims, to the Senate in
yestigating committee.
Delay and confusion" resulted from
the departments failure TO notify him
of important dispositions and move
ments Of naval forces within the area
of his command a. we'll as elsewhere
he said, adding that the result also
was to create in the minds of allied
officials an impression that he was not
supported by and in the confidence OF
his governments.
Because OF his ignorance of the de-
partment's plans, the admiral contin-
ued. the allied admiralties carried on
direct negotiations with the navy de-
partment in Washington. Allied team
work was impaired and American in.
terests suffered as result. he said, add
ing Undoubtedly at times such in
dependent negotiations resulted in di
rect conflict with my recommends
tions."
Admiral Sims told the committee the
first intimation he had that he was not
in the full confidence OF the depart
ment came soon after he submitted his
first reports from London. He learned
then. by accident, he said, that an
agreement had been reached bS the
navy department and British and
French naval officials in Washington
early in April regarding the disposi-
tion of American naval forces. The
terms Of this agreement were cabled to
Admiral Jellicoe by the British repre-
sentative on April l3, 1917, he de-
clared.
The officer also charged that without
notifying him beforehand, the depart
ment arranged with the French naval
attache to send ten or more yachts to
combat submarines off the French |
coast. arranged to establish two naval |
bases in France; sent naval aviation |
forces to that country, dispatched six |
destroyers from Boston; sent a hun |
dred cannon to France on naval col. !
liers; started a campaign in the news
papers for a North sea mine barage; |
dispatched the fifth destroyer squad
ron from St. Johns to Queenstown, and |
sent four additional destroyers from
New York to join his forces.
Some Of these vessels, he said. ar
rived overseas before he knew Of their
sllocation from French and British
sources, but seldom in time to make
proper adjustm ants and. arrangements
for receiving the ships,
The admiral declared that while he
continually against the de
Dartments failure To keep him in
formed, the situation was not rem
died
That great confusion existed with
-egard to ehe establishment of the
,asis in France and that the depart
nent itself did not know what it
wanted was demonstrated the admiral
aid. bv a letter he received early in
August from the officer assigned to
the Bordeaux base This Of
icer he said, wrote that "the situation
n France is not clear TO me. and that
when he had asked upon being ordered
o the command Of the base what his
uties were, he had been unable TO OBJ
ain any information.
Il asked the same question and got
ne same answer from all the other
eads in the navy department the
hicer said. after awaiting about
our weeks | received orders to proceed j
nth a party of eight persons, but still
o instructions"
A similar condition existed with re- ]
ard to American naval aviation forces I
pnt abroad, Admiral Sims said.