Evening star., 1936-10-02
ARLINGTON CLAIMS
REMAINS OF S|MS|
Admiral Buried With Full
Military Honors After
Church Rites.

A green knoll overlooking the Pcto-
mac from the slopes of Arlington Gem
etery today held the body of Admiral
William Sowden Sims, one Of the
American Nays foremost officers and
severest critics.
Hundreds stood with barred heads
yesterday afternoon as the flag-draped
casket was lowered into the grave
while the last notes of Taps" faded
away across the hills.
Popularity known as the man who
taught the Navy how to shoot, and as
an officer who never hesitated to give
free voice to his opinions, Admiral
Sims. commander of the American
naval forces in European water during
the World War, was buried with full
military honors.
Church Rites Simple.
Simple funeral services were con-
Quoted in ST. Johns Episcopal Church
at o'clock by DR.. Oliver j. Hart, rec
tor. assisted by DR.. Arthur Lee Kin
solving. rector of Trinity Church, Bos-
ton, where the Admiral cied .donday.
DR.. Kinsolving accompanied members
of the family on the trip here from
Massachusetts,.
The church was not crowded. those
present including for the most part
only members of the family, close
friends and brother officers IN full
dress uniform. Admiral William H.
STANDBY, chief of naval operations.
represented President Roosevelt. while
the Army, whose troops we're conveyed
to France by Sims men. sent Col. F. H.
Lincoln. assistant chief OF staff.
Following the reading of Scripture
prayer and the singing Of :wo hymns,
the Admiral's body was borne IN a
hearse to the main entrance of the
cemetery, where it was transferred to
an artillery caiSSon draped with flags.
Led by Navy Band.
The Navy Band. playing a dirge, led
the way while the procession wound
slowly to the grave. There the 5th
Marine Regiment and a company of
bluejackets formed a guard of honor
as Capt. Sidney K Evans. retired. for
mer chief of Navy chaplains, dellv-
eTeu SNOTt sermon.
The company of blue jackets snapped
to attention and fired three voileys
over the grave. In moment Taps"
had sounded. concluding Il Navy's
f1nal tribute to the man around whom
revolved some of Its stormiesg contro-
persies.
Honorary pallbearers were Rear Ad-
miral Mark L. Bristo, retired; Rear
Admiral Hutch l. Cone, retired; Rear
Admiral Richard H. Leigh, retired;
Rear Admiral Reginald r. Belknap,
retired; Rear Admiral Harris Laning
commandant of the Sd Naval District
and the New York Navy Yard; Rear
Admiral Walter R. Gherardi, COM
mandant of the 1st Naval District
and the Boston Navy Yard; Rear Ad-
miral Charles Russell Train, president
OF the Naval Examining Board at the
Navy Department.: Rear Admiral EN-
ory S. Land, chief of the Bureau of
Construction and Repair, Navy De-
partment: Capt. ]. K. Robson. U. S.
N. retired; Marion Eppley, Charles
Perrin, Stephen Cabot, Reginald Gill;
NOR and Junius Morgan.
Victim of Heart Attack.
Admiral Sims, who was II years old,
died of heart attack.
Il just scraped in." he said, in COM
menting on his admission to the
Naval Academy in 1876. after failing
the examination in 1875.
While still low in rank he began his
critical comments on naval gunnery
and construction. His outspoken re-
marks brought down the wrath of his
superiors at the time, but in the end,
largely through the support of Presi-
dent Theodore Roosevelt. resulted in
. vastly improved Navy
After getting into further trouble
through speeches concerning interna-
tional affairs, the last of which brought
Q rebuke from President Taft, he was
retired in 1922 at the age of 81.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Anne
Hitchcock Sims: three daughters and
two sons.