The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-24
Rear Admiral Rodgers and the Press Of
the United States.

Rear Admiral Rodgers, commanding the
United States naval forces in Asiatc waters,
has seen ft to determine that the people Of
the United States shall receive no information
regarding the operations of the Corean expe-
dition through the press of their country.
When the feet was assembled at Nagasaki
and about ready for departure for Corea the
representative of the HERALD made applica-
ton for permission to accompany the expedi-
ton, which was refused, on the ground that
no member of the press could 90, for the rea-
son that the Coreans might, through the
papers of the United States, receive informa-
ton of the movements of his squadron. To
this refusal the HERALD's representative re-
piled, and on behalf not only of the HERALD
but of the whole press protested against the
decision of the Admiral, based as it was upon
such frivolous grounds. For the information
of the press in general and the public we
deem it best to publish the correspondence, in
| which. we think, the Admiral shows to
poor advantage. His reasons are no reasons
they are mere bubbles, paltry excuses, and it
would have sounded better If he had simply
denied the request without attempting to ssign
any cause for the denial. The consequences
of this refusal are already evident. We have
the announcement merely that an engagement
has occurred between our squadron and the
Corean batteries without any particulars of
the action, whereas had representative or
representatives Of the press been with the
feet we would have had details. The friends
and relatives of those on board have now to
wait in fear and anxiety lest some of those
dear to them have been killed or wounded.
They are kept in state Of suspense by the
unsailor-like conduct of Admiral Rodgers, and
they will be Obliged to wait for official de-
spatches before any positive information is
received regarding the casualties that may
have occurred
Rear Admiral Rodgers has made or eat
mistake by reason Of his refusal. The people
of this country, who are interested in knowing
what the forces of their country are doing
both at home and abroad, will not be favor
ably disposed toward him when they learn
that he has refused them the information they
desire-when they know that he declines to
allow the press the news it is entitled to have.
They will be disgusted with him in the first
place, and laugh at him for the reason he
assigns. They will not be charitably dis
posed toward him, and, should he not be sue
cessful in carrying out the instructions of his
government, there will be but few to make
excuses for his shortcomings. He misunder-
stands the temper of his countrymen; he ap-
parently does not think for moment how I'M
popular he is destined to become by his
conduct to the press, and through the press
to the people, especially so when it is known
that he has given permission to accompany
the expedition to those who had no claim
upon our government or its officials. Our
correspondent, in language polite, but forcible
and to the point, puts the matter before the
Admiral in its proper light and presents an
argument that is unanswerable; but stubborn
ness probably prevailed with the Commander
Consequently we shall be compelled to remain
in the dark respecting what the Corean ex-
petition is doing or has done until such time
as the official dispatches of the Admiral are
made public by the Navy Depart
ment. We shall have to submit to
delay and put up with the red tape
report, meagre as it will be in detail, and
arranged as it will be by the officials to suit
their own ideas and to give their own side of
the story. Well, we may be satisfied with
this arrangement for time, but If operations
in the Corea are to be continued we are of the
opinion that greater power than that of the
Admiral will be brought to bear in order that
the people Of this country shall have the latest
and fullest information from the seat Of war.
It will be well to examine the reason for
refusal, as given in the letter Of the Admiral.
He says ct is not unlikely that the present
trip may prove preliminary one, and there
fore it may be Of the first Importance to keep
Coreans. If anything is published either here
or in the Atlantic States the purport of it will
be likely to find its way back to the Coreans
through the Chinese, who get access to the
contents Of our newspapers" Can anything
be imagined more absurd and ridiculous?
The commander of the British forces in
Abyssinia might with equal justice have re-
fused permission for q correspondent to
accompany his command for fear Of
information reaching King Theodore
through English or American newspapers
circulated and read in Algiers. The following
is what Admiral Rodgers fears A fight oc-
ours between our people and the Coreans;
the news is sent to the United States and pub
lshed in the papers the latter by due course
of mail reach Shanghai the description Of the
Corean battle is translated into Chinese, it is
read by the mandarins, and special messengers
Of ouco doanafchod IN Cnrna Nth uoua IF