AMERICAN AIRCRAFT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16674, 2 March 1925, Page 5

AMERICAN AIRCRAFT.

ADMIRAL SUMS’ EVIDENCE. BLUNT TESTIMONY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.! WASHINGTON, Feb. 28. Rear-Admiral -Sims (retired), who was commander of the American Atlantic lieet during the war, gave characteristic blunt testimony before the Aircraft Committee. lie agreed with General Mitchell that the United States air forces should he- increased, hat opposed tlie plan for the unification of tlie army and navy air services, claiming that it was necessary that flyers operating witn the navy should lie trained naval officers. In urging a large force of airplanes for the Canal zone, Admiral Sims said an adequate force would ensure the zone from air attack and defeat attempts to land troops. It could also blow up an approaching enemy fleet. “Aircraft,” Jio declared, “will hold the key to power in the next year. No fleet can operate successfully against a power in control of th-e, air.” He declared that, in 1921, bombing tests showed conclusively that modern vessels could be put out of commission by air bombing. Admiral Sims said the airplane was the outstanding war weapon to-day. “When two fleets meet at sea the one with the larger air forces will triumph, as it can destroy the other air force ancl then bomb ships at will.” Admiral Sims criticised the report of the Navy Board, which placed the battleship above the airplane. He said : “I am not much impressed by that report. The day after it was issued the Secretary for the Navy said that he heartily agreed with it. An opinion of the Secretary for the Navy on a highly technical matter like this is not worth much.’’ Questioned regarding his naval experiences, Admiral Sims said : ‘‘My services consisted mainly of getting into trouble with the principal dignitaries. Many of my reports were burned by order of the Navy Department. In tlie British Navy 1 gained the reputation of being the best Admiral. I received little aid from Washington during the first months of my. command of tlie Atlantic fleet. When. I told them the truth about England’s dire condition they would not believe me. Representative Perkins (chairman of (lie committee) said ; Do you believe tho battleship is the backbone of the fleet?

Admiral Sims ;• Yes, but I believe it has hern broken. The capital ship of the future will he the airplane carrier. Regarding the Pacific, Admiral Siins said : Our position there is unfortunate. We shall be absolutely hamstrung without a Pacific naval base. It is absolutely essential that tlio line of communication lie kept open. But if Guam be seized, wo could not go to the Philippines until we re-ca.pturcd it. We could not go there so long as another power held it, as our whole line of communication would be left open to attack. Admiral Sims criticised the United States for agreeing at the Washington Conference not to fortify Guam. He declared that, despite the conference, the race for armaments was continuing, and said: “Britain has fifty cruisers and Japan thirty built or building. Japan has laid down 80,000 tohs of submarines since the war.” LONG DISTANCE FLIGHT TEST. (Renter’s Telegram.) (Received March 2, .10 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 1. A telegram from Macon, Georgia, says: Twelve army aeroplanes failing to complete the attempted flight from Macon lo Florida from dawn to dusk, are stopping here over-night. Com-mander-Major Thomas Lnnphier said the failure proves the contention of General Mitchell before the Aeronautical Committee of Congress that America’s air defence is inadequate. There are only fifteen planes in the nation to-day equipped for active war service, and twelve of these have available pilots. In fact the air force of America is in Macon to-night.”