The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-08-17
NEAR TO A BLUNDER.
How Cleveland Was Saved Humil.
iation.

NEW YORK, July 29.-The Recorder
prints the following special dispatch
from Washington: In the history of
foreign relations during the Cleveland
| administration there is an incident in
/ which the Administration has come
| out with marked credit.
That is the incident in which Adj
miral Benham figured when he up
| held American interests in the harbOr
of Rio Janeiro, and by firing two shots
across the bow of Admiral Da Canals
iusurgent cruiser, gave the insurgent
leader to understand that he could not
with impunity interfere with Ameri-
can vessel carrying American goods.
Benham's spirited action thrilled the
land, and few days after the event
the country was gratified by the an
nouncement that the Secretary of the
Navy had sent dispatch to the brave
of the United States Govern
interests, and informing him that the
future was Entrusted to his discretion.
1t was given out from sources close
to the Administration that not only
was the action Endorsed, but that it
had been taken in pursuance of in
structions from the Navy Department
at the time he was ordered to Brazil
ian waters.
This version of affairs does not run
with the facts that can now be pub
lished for the first time. The approval
cabled by Secretary Herbert was an
afterthought. The dispatch from Ad-
miral Benham giving his account of
the episode was received at the Navy
Department on the night of February
Goth by Secretary Herbert, who took
il at once to the White House, where
he and the President went over the
situation together.
What happened in that conference
nobody knows, but it is certain that
the President disapproved the course
of the American Admiral and that at
his suggestion the Secretary prepared
an elaborate dispatch calling Benham
to account for his "precipitate action"
informing him that by his course he |
might have seriously compromised the |
United States and expressing regret |
for the occurrence.
The dispatch concluded with an or
der for Benham to turn over the COM |
mand of the fleet and return to Wash |
ington.
The length of the dispatch saved the |
Administration from perpetrating a
blunder. 1t took long time to pre-
pare it and then it was given over to |
translators in the Navy Department |
TO be put il cipher. They set to work |
at it on Tuesday, the Both, but on |
Tuesday morning the news OF Admiral |
Benham's action became public.
1t sent thrill through the country.
Congress was in session and dispatches |
began to pour in, heartily praising |
Admiral Benham. The press of the |
country was unanimous in adulation. |
When the Secretary of the Navy |
read the newspapers the next morn,
ing. he realized that he was on the
point of reproving an officer who had
performed the most popular act of the
Cleveland administration. He rushed |
to the Department, where the trans
lators were still at work, and called |
for the dispatch. There was another
with the President, and
the following day another dispatch !
was framed indorsing the course of
Benham, and this was sent.
The original dispatch was torn up by
Secretary Herbert, and the record of
the Administration saved.