Show THE TH NAVAL INQUIRY From the way wa 3 the senate committee on naval affairs has begun Its Us Investigation gation gatlon Into the criticisms of or the navy the th public can hardly hope hOle for tor much progress The first wit witness ness res Commander Sims who ho was ivas put on the stand yesterday was wal baited and badgered as few rew witnesses before a leg legislative committee have been After ACter Sims had lad let iet It bo known hat he lie was among the number that believed pur ur battleships were Improperly con cont conI t I 1 the he examination developed into a badgering match The rhe attitude taken by Sims inquisitors inquisitore tors tore was that or of a prosecutor towards a criminal defendant Admiral Capps was allowed to interrogate him con contrary contrary contrary to precedents j re and instead of ot asking questions Capps set his own opinions against those o othe of oC the witness His Inquiries s according to the Associated Press dispatches took the form fonn of ot denials of statements made by Sims ims According to Commander Sims the armor belt of ot all aU American battleships is too Jow dow the direct ammunition hoists holts do not work properly and are area a grave menace to the th safety of ot the themen themen themen men and the ship and in the case ase of the Georgia explosion n no less than twenty grains of burning powder found their way to the handling room The most astonishing criticism made by Commander Sims was contained in his comment on the th battle of Santiago He declared the shooting by the American Am gunners gunners to be the most dis disgraceful disgraceful disgraceful graceful exhibition of ot gunnery that ever took place on the face of ot the globe The average of hits was only one and per cent and the big guns at t best averaged only four per percent percent percent cent The Spaniards were in a woe woeful woeful woeful ful condition or they could have es escaped escaped escaped easily was his conclusion The American public will decline to Lo worry about Santiago The fleet on that occasion did absolutely all that could have been expected of or it Not Nota a single ship of the Spanish fleet made its escape Let us not quibble about hit lilt percentages No fleet could have accomplished more in tangible results than the American fleet accomplished at Santiago It Is to be hoped that in continuing its inquiry the senate committee will not permit itself to be diverted from the main contentions It is contended by some Iome competent authorities that our ouri i battleships are improperly constructed Other authorities take the contrary view Both sides are entitled to a full free and pres presentation presentation presentation of their views It will then be the business of the committee to decide which of ot the factions actions has made out Its case f |