Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-08-31

was going on. Won Diedrichs did not like
it. Dewey sent word that he regretted
the necessity of such work. but he was
compelled to keep informed of what went
on in the bay at night He intmated that
the Germans were acting as if they
thought that they wer. blockading Manila
instead of the Americans.
1t is quite within his right as the block
ader to do this, but Won Diedrichs pro-
tested The German admiral twisted
Dewey's contention and construed it as
claim of the right of search. The Ameri-
can admiral had never set up claim to
such a right, but he insisted that he had
the right to know the character of every
ship that came into the bay and its bust
ness, and that the mere fact that ship
flew the German flag did not prove that
she was German, because it is recognized
in international law as a right of any war
ship to fly any colors desired.
Dewey Willing 10 Fight.
Matters kept getting worse. German
launches were stopped and sent to their
ships. Permission to move in the night
time was refused on some occasions, and
finally Admiral Dewey took occasion to
sa- to the German flag lieutenant that
certain things meant war and the Ger
mans were approaching dangerously near
them. Then he added in substance that
if the Germans wanted war they could
have it now or at any other time, here or
at any other place.
In reply to this Won Diedrichs took a
pacifieatory tone and disavowed any in
tention of violating proper usages or the
American admirals blockade regulations.
Then came the Subig bay incident. The
insurgents were attacking Isla de Grande
They had captured steamer from the
Spanish and they sent her down to Subig
with men. She cane back one afternoon
and reported to Dewey that the cruiser
Irene had prevented her from attacking
Grande Island and had forced her to haul
down her insurgent flag and raise white
one.
Dewey sent the Raleigh and Concord
there at once. They went in and cleared
for action at S:15 the next morning, ready
for what might come, German or other
wise. AS they went in on one side of
the island, the Irene came out on the
other at full steam. The two American
ships took the island with G23 prisoners,
nearly all Spanish soldiers, and 600 rifles,
with an immense quantity of ammunition.
When the Irene came back the McCul-
loch spoke, but did not stop her. This
brought n protest from both sides. Won
Diedrichs objected to the hauling up of
his ships. Dewey declared that the Ger
mans were lending aid and comfort to our
enemies, thereby making themselves open
ly Spains allies. He sent a message to
the German admiral, the substance of
which was:
is there peace or war between our
countries? If there is war | want to know
it. If there is peace | want you to change
your course. The way to make war is to
clear up ship and go at it"
Won Diedrichs replied with an apology
and then as if repenting he wrote to Ad-
miral Dewey Il note in which he miscon-
strued Dewey's contention about right to
speak incoming ships, and said he would
lay the matter before commanders in
chief now in the harbor. Since then
Dewey has heard nothing from him, but
he has heard what happened when Won
Diedrichs called on Capt. Chichester of
the Immortalite, the senior officer of the
English squadron. The Englishman
showed the German his instructions, by
which he YVES ordered to do what Dewey
had been contending that the Germans
should do. There was not much ground
left for Won Diedrichs after that.