SIMS, WILLIAM SOWDEN (1858-1936), American naval officer, was born of United States parents at Port Hope, Ont., Canada, on Oct. 15, 1858, removing in childhood to Pennsyl vania. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 188o, and for eight years served on board various ships in the North Atlan tic. During 1889-93 he was with the nautical school ship "Sara toga," was transferred to the Pacific station, and later to the China station. From 1897-190o he was naval attache to the American Embassy, at Paris and at St. Petersburg (Leningrad), but in 1900 he returned to the Pacific station. Convinced of the inadequacy of American methods of target practice, he pressed his views upon the Government, and in the end was enabled to arrange for a gunnery test and prove his claims. This resulted in his being made inspector of target practice in the bureau of navigation, where he served seven years (1902-09). In 1907 he was made commander and appointed naval aide to President Roosevelt, and in 1909 he became commander of the battleship "Minnesota." During a visit of the Atlantic fleet to England in 1910, Commander Sims caused a stir at a dinner at the Guildhall, London, where he said : "Speaking for myself, I believe that if the time ever comes when the British empire is menaced by an external enemy you may count upon every man, every drop of blood, every ship and every dollar of your kindred across the sea." A semi-official protest against this utterance was made at
Washington by the German Government, but the incident ended in a severe reprimand from the President of the United States.
In 1911 Sims was promoted captain, and for two years was a member of the class of the Naval War college, Newport, Rhode Island. During 1913-15 he was in command of the Atlantic tor pedo flotilla, and in 1916 in command of the battleship "Nevada." In Jan. 1917 he returned to Newport as president of the Naval War college. When America entered the World War in April 1917 he was chosen to command the American naval forces in European waters. In Jan. he had been promoted rear admiral, and in May he was given the temporary rank of vice admiral. On the con clusion of the war he relinquished command of the fleet, and in Feb. 1919 resumed his position as president of the Naval War college. In 192o he made a formal report to the U.S. Navy Department charging it with serious errors in the conduct of naval operations during the war. He published The Victory at Sea (1920). He died in Boston, September 28, 1936.