New-York tribune., 1920-03-12
Ships Denied
To Sims for
Vigil at Kiel
osatisusd from ssss enc

subsequent events established the
fact, that the execution Of any other
plans depended absolutely upon first
meeting the submarine menace.
"At the present time there is no
issue whatever as to the correctness
or soundness of my recommendations
during this critical period. There is
no truth whatever in the assertion
that / am now claiming that l was
right and every one else wrong. This
fact is amply demonstrated by the
extent to which my recommendations.
particularly in the matters Of dis
marine forces, were ultimately
adopted by the department. AS /
shall show later certain recomm snda-
tions made by me we're never adopted,
but, with one or two possible excep-
tions, every plan for the employ
ment of our forces in the war zone
which was finally adopted was in ac-
cord with my recommendations.
"The primary fault of the depart
ment was the initial delay in putting
into effect measures which they later
adopted, and which delay resulted in
the prolongation of the war and in
least half a million lives and $15,-
0o0,o00,o00."
Waste of Time Charged
Admiral Sims said he was prepared
to show that during all the time the
department was ignoring his recon-
mendations or failing to act on them
it concentrated its efforts upon plans
which were either Of minor Importance
or were impossible of fulfilment in
view of the time element or were COM
pletely and entirely impracticable."
The witness produced a message to
the department as far back as April
IL, 1917. in which he suggested that
1.-TWO divisions Of American dread
naughts might be based on Brest for
moral effect against anticipated raids
by heavy enemy ships in the Channel,
out of reach of British main fleet"
This was followed by a letter of
April 19, in which he quoted British
Admiralty official as agreeing with
others, "including the First Sea Lord,
that the addition of some of our navy
forces to those maintained in southern
Channel approaches by the French and
British would undoubtedly entirely
preclude the possibility of such raids" "
"No answer was ever received from
the department to either of these rec
concentrations" Admiral Sims testified,
although, as l had specifically stated,
this assistance had been requested by
the Allies"
On June IS, the record showed, and
again on July 7, Admiral Sims warned
the department, in view of the critical
and uncertain situation, that the
American feet should be kept In in
slant readiness to be sent to Europe.
On July 10, following conference
with Admiral Jellcoe, the First Sea
Lord, and Admiral Beatty, commander
of the British Grand Fleet, Admiral
Sims cabled, at their request, a mes
sage to the department, asking that q
division of four coal-burning dread
naughts be sent across to relieve five
British dreadnaughts of the King Ed
ward class.
"No answer was received to this
message" said Sims "After waiting
four weeks, believing that an answer
to such an important recommendation
would ultimately come, finally sent a
second message on August II, as fol-
lows:
referring No. 12o, need becoming
urgent for the four coal-burning dread
naughts and their six destroyers;
shortage personnel has necessitated
putting one King Edward out of COM
mission. One goes out next month and
five by end of year. In absence rein
forcements requested, these vessels
must be replaced by older type dread
naughts from Grand Fleet. Request