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Show DANIELS, WILSON I AND SIMS. Defending himself against the charges in the letters of Krnklln K. lane, former secretary of the Interior, Josephus Daniels who was secretary of tho navy, gives quite a different account of how the convoy system wa adopted. Daniels credits President Presi-dent Wilson with the idea. At a cabinet meeting In February, 1917. President Wilson, turning to Daniels, said: BBSS m "Daniels, why have tho British not convoyed their ships'"' Daniels replied the British admiralty admiral-ty opposed the system, as the merchant mer-chant captains, after long experience, held to the single ship plan. The president also was Informed that many of the Americas naval officers took the British view. Irer.ldent Wilson Is quoted by Daniels as urging tho convoy and. when wre entered the 1 war, Admiral Suns was instructed to, convey tnc president- views rni8 nag done and resulted in Hie overcoming overcom-ing of the submarine. With Daniels' version accepted, President Wilson must be given credit for insisting on the convoy. Some ol our most capable naval advisers to the president must have pointed out the advantages of the convoy system. By tho way, Admiral Sims has left the Impression that he was the great directing head of the navy and all tlu I effective moves were made by him. 1 Recently Admiral Benson sent the following fol-lowing letter to an eastern publication, proving that Admiral Sims was a subordinate, sub-ordinate, taking instructions from his superiors and having no prominent i part in 6haping policies or directing maneuvers. "An editorial in your paper ol April 4 has Just been handed to me, and I have read it with great interest The toco of this editorial indicates very clearly that your only object is one of historical truth, and I am writing you with no desire to have jou make any change or to ask for. any recogni tlon of myself, but simply to correct what I believe is a mistaken impression impres-sion on your part. "It is evident from your editorial that you think Admiral Sims was in supreme command of the naval forces during tho war, and that he was afloat directing the movement of vessels This is not true. Admiral Sims lived at a hotel in London, and the U. S. government gave him an allowance for his living expenses. He was provided pro-vided with ample office room and accommodations ac-commodations in the immediate vicinity vicin-ity of the chancellary of tho LT. S embassy em-bassy in London. At no time was he afloat, except in making trips across the channel or during visits to the grand fleet or visiting some eiptlon i for inspection purposes. "As a matter of fact, Admiral Sims was a subordinate, acting directly under un-der my orders during the whole time, and was not responsible except in an indirect way, either for the strategy or the operations of any naval forces Tho naval forces in Europe were a part of the U. S. fleet under the direct command of Admiral H. T. Mayo. In other words, Admiral Sims was the naval representative of my office In I European waters, and he was not only a under my orders, but waa considered con-sidered to be a part of our naval forces commanded by Admiral H. T. Alayo. He was given the title of commander com-mander of the U. S. naval forces in I European waters In lieu of any better title, but in fact was a magnified naval attache. "There 1 absolutely no comparison whatever between the position held by General Pershing In tlie army and that of Admiral Sims In tho navy. Admiral Ad-miral Sims was Bent abroad primarily to obtain information and transmit it to my office. Acting on the info ma-I ma-I lion thus received, vessels were sent abroad for needed service. Tho destroyers de-stroyers In European waters were op rated: those In British waters by the orders of the British vice admiral at Queenstown, through Admiral Sims' chief of staff at Queenstown, Captain Pringle, U. S. N.; thoBO operating In JJ 1'rcnch watere and from French bases wore under orders o! Vice Admiral Wilson at Brest, and battleships in 'ho North sea, under Admiral Rodman Rod-man were acting under orders of Admiral Ad-miral Beatty, commander in chief of I the British grand fleet. j "I do not wish In any way to de tract from anything that is duo Admiral Ad-miral Sims, but simply to give you tho facts. During the war, and for some j time before, I was the technical head of the navy, and all during the war I ll was responsible for all naval strategy j operations ash or and afloat I Fleets and vessels, including tho transport, were moved by orders f i om my office and from me As I said In i he heeinnlna. 1 do not ask for any i recognition of this fact lrorn any one. jnor do I care to have this letter print-led, print-led, as I am only trying to give the I correct facts to one who impresses me as being prompted by a desire to be perfectly fair, and to give what jis actually a true statement of the ' case. "Your only comparison of Admiral ' Sampson and Admiral Schley proves the correctness of my Bland in thin case " This letter is an aid to getting the j 6toiy or the navy in the world warj historically correct. |