On Tuesday President Taft instructed the Secretary for the Navy
publicly to censure Commander Sims for a speech made at the Guildhall when the American Atlantic Fleet was visiting Landon last month. Commander Sims's words were :— " If the time ever comes when the British Empire is seriously menaced by an external enemy, it is my opinion that you may count upon every man, every dollar, and every drop of blood of your kindred across the seas." Of course such expressions caused unfavourable comment, if not annoyance, in Germany and among Irish-Americans, and equally of course Mr. Taft had to censure the indiscretion when his attention had been officially called to it. But it is the metier of sailors to express themselves breezily. We remember that Admiral Dewey was similarly censured, and he stands where he did in the estimation of his countrymen. Reduced to a discreet form, Commander Sims's words meant merely that be recognises the truth that a German naval supremacy would be very much worse for the United States than the continuance of the British supremacy. We would refer our readers to Admiral Mahan's remarks on this subject in a book noticed elsewhere.
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