Show SILlS ERASES ALL GLORY LORY FROM NAV NAVY Lieutenant Commander Makes Make Startling Denunciation to Senate Committee MEN AND SHIPS ATTACKED Says Engagements of Dewey Dewe and Schley Were Disgraceful Dis- Dis Disgraceful Disgraceful Dis Dis- graceful Affairs Washington March Declaring 2 that hat the shameful Inefficiency nc of ot th the United States navy durin during the time Spanish Spaniel war ar was wall the most disgraceful exhibition bl Ion tion ever witnessed n on the face of or th the globe lobe characterizing the praise ac account nc count of ot the officers and men wh who ho fought the ships an and anwon won these battles as S unmerited and denouncing the marksmanship displayed In the battles of r Santiago and Manila bay as ns grossly Inefficient Lieutenant Commander Sims naval amral secretary to President Roosevelt elt tolla today Iday amazed amaze the members of or the tho sento senate senate sen sen- ate to committee on naval affairs before whom horn ho was testifying The sensational charges es stripping the nav navy WY of or the which have haie been showered upon It by common accord and placing It before the tho country as a a. disorganized Incompetent and utter utterly unworthy branch of the time country's military mill mili tary ry arm orm have aroused bitter resentment resent recent- ment ent among those who commanded the ships tips and were In charge of the staff start when the historic battles to which he referred sneer sneeringly were won I Sims started out to make trouble ason as ns I soon on as ho lie tool took the tIme stand He Ie began beSan with th an all attack attach upon the time personnel of or of Dt the na navy Senator Hale told him to confine himself to the ships that he would uld be called calle later to testify as 38 to toS the S personnel Commander Sims yielded with poor race ice I Former Criticisms l He Ife started out to tell how his criticisms criticisms crill clams had bind been Ignored by bj bureau chiefs and the time secretary of ot the tIme navy and now this committee checked him Dont you ou care to know If It the department de department department de- de has resisted an and Ignored criticIsm crit- crit 7 he edNot ed Not from you said Senator Hale Commander Sims almost took the breath from tho timo members of ot time tho committee com corn when lie ho o said Time Tho most ll disgraceful exhibition ever witnessed ed on tho the face taco of ot globe clabo was wan shameful of ot ln Inefficiency t aJ noy by Un United te nto jn y ith th itha the a sWi I r waB was under tho impression H al Senator hen hon v he be had r cov- cov from his surprise that the naval battles of Santiago and of Manila bay brought glory to our ou ships and praise from om the tho entire world In fact tact until I camo here I have always alwn's heard heald tho navy praised In the highest terms Praise Unmerited Such praise v was aa not merited as asserted asserted as as- Sims and there Is documentary evl evidence In the navy d department to prove my assertion Continuing he sa said I fired Nine thousand projectiles were hits were recorded or and nn only about one-half one of oC one per cent the rest being misses The Time poor exhibition of marksmanship was disgraceful If It there had been beon un any decent display or of lr marksmanship upon the part of or the tho Spaniards thc they ro M 4 gotten olten away and our guns suns would not have stopped them Cervera did not have proper ammunition ammunition ammunition ammu ammu- to fit tit his guns Suns I If he had he would have made trouble for tor our fleet neet off than As it was he was worse wo wel Do UDo I understand that you state the was not better than that our na navy Hale Senator Spanish navy asked No sir replied Sims Our nav navy was the better of oC the two That condition condition condition con con- ot of Inefficiency In the navy continued con con- up to 1903 During the tho last five however we have largely made years up the differences which existed at the I time Ume of ot the tho war var There has been a constant constant constant con con- stant resistance however to the criticIsm criticism criticism cism offered by the officers for tor the betterment bet bet- of the ships Hale cM Opinion Senator Halo Hale expressed time the opinion It that the condition of the navy y as existed In I 1903 03 did not Interest the tho committee in view of ot the improvements Improve improve- Improvements ments which Commander Simms admitted admitted admit admit- made since that time ted had ha hab b been en the armor now on the sh shire ships of the tile navy Commander Sims said it was the thc of or opinion in the navy and he ho was of or the same belief that the belt of or armor was too low the water Most ships do 10 not set In set said where they are arc designed to Mr Sims The statements which have Admirals been sent to Congress by Converse and Capps are unsatisfactory The Time figures given g do not show how lowthe lowthe low lowthe the ships set In the time water and the tho figures figures fig fig- ures omit actual conditions The reports re reports reports re- re ports arc are erroneous Questioned further Sims admitted he lie the little no rio experience on had ha had or sea sen and that while ho had spent most of ot the last twelve years In criticising the tue most of or his criticisms were based upon statements mart to him b by others 4 |