ANGLO-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 162, 6 July 1918, Page 4

ANGLO-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP

AMERICAN STRENGTH IN THE WAR ZONE.

SPEECH'BY ADMIRAL SIMS'. \ —— (Renter's Telegram?.) LONDON, July 4. Admiral Sims (iti charge of American destroyers in -British waters), speaking at the Anglo-Saxon meeting, emphasised the Anglo-.American > naval friendship. America had at present in European waters 250 vessels', 3000 officers, and 40,000 men Serving from the White Sea 'to the Adriatic. During the coming year over treble the present number of destroyers would be fighting for the Allies; ■■■while' over 150 subtiivlne chasers would soon be doing duty in the war zone, "of which half were already there. (In view of the above, it is interesting to recall the following from a cha-racter-sketch of Admiral Sims by Robert P. Wilson :- "Admiral Sim*, fias risen in the Na-yy through his indiscretions. He has twice guilty of indiscreet actions-; —both of an unusual and astonishing sort. One of these, committed while he was still a' lieutenant, gave offence to hils superior officers. The other shocked the diplomacy of the entire earth. By <he first he ' flirted with punishment. For the latter he was formally reprimanded by the Secretary of the Navy, giving him the ' only black mark - against hi* record. Either incident might have blasted the career of ani officer less brilliant than he or ..possessing less of •his ability to land on his feet, But both episodes worked' directly and powerfully to Sims-'s advantage. ' . ,". The 'better known of these two incidents —the famous speech that Slims made in the old London Gutildihall in 1910 —is still fresh in the public memory. It was on the occasion of the visit of the Atlantic Fleet, to England and France in the fall of 1910. The cordiality of the welcome given to our officers and blueja-r-kets at that time exceeded any. ever before experienced by the modern American battleships l . Near the close of the fleet's visit, the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas Vesey St'tung, 'entertained 750 American bluejackets and their officers at a sumptuous midday . dinner at the Guildhall. Commander Sims, of th» Dreadnought Minnesota, .and the officers of his staff. headed the shore party. They had been met ;at the Thames landing by the band of the gorgeous Coldstream Guards and escorted by martial music through (the crowded, cheering London streets. At the Guildhall a magnificent reception, wa* tendered to them.'_ - ■Commander Sims was greatly moved by this hospitality, coming as it did at the end of two" weeks of similar entertainment. The 1 Lord (Mayor gra-?<e-fullv toasted the President -of the United States. '■ When Sims,' who _ was born in Canada, rose to respond with a toast to the King, his pride in Jiis An-glo-Saxon blood got the better of his diplomacy. "This, "he ■said, referring to the character of the welcome to the

fleet in England, "could not happen in any other country:, bulk ia made possible by the strong ties of blood between' our two nations. j Speakitng for myself, I believe that ! if .the..time ever comes -when, the (-. British Empire is menaced by an j external enemy. you may count j upon every man, every drop of i blood, every ship, and . every' dollar I of'vonr 'kindred' across the sea."

Naturally cognisance of this utterance was taken in official quarters in "Waishiraglton.. The anti-British elememt in the United States' was for couirtmatrtiailing Sims ~ for 1 his indiscretion*, but he escaped with a rebuke and no loss of rank.

I It is now apparent thalt this break, instead of harming Sims's career, has aided it. Aside from his admirable ! qualifications "for his present command j —his ipensonal magnetism, his populariI ty with his subordinate officers; and the i bine jackets under him. his. previous expedience in ' commanding a - destroyer flotilla, -and the laboratory thorough--' ness with .which his mind studies any i problem-—it was a .subtle compliment to pick this man of all others to direct our j fins* naval participation in the war j against Germany. In effect America j now says that she I'egrets ,the repri j mand 'to Sims, and adfmifts that he was J entirely right when he declared Angloj Saxon blood to bo thicker than water.)