The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-26
CAPT. CoGHLAN EXPLAINS.
Had no Thought of Desire to Offend
Germans.

Germans.
From the New York Journal.
Capt. Coghlan spent all of yesterday
aboard his ship and denied himself to all
callers except those who had business com
munlcations to make. His desk was heap
ed with official papers, and he was en-
gagged in writing the better part of the day.
To a Journal reporter who visited his
cabin the captain said:
THE only thing which / care to say
about the utterances attributed TO me is
that their spirit has been wholly misrepre-
scented. What l did say l, of course, stand
by The surrounding circumstances, how
ever are these: l was a guest a dinner In
a private clubhouse never imagined for
an instant that any stories which l might
tell or any poem which I might recite
would appear in the newspapers.
Moreover, when my remarks, wrung
from me by suggestion made by those
seated near me. did appear in print, l was
made, to put into Admiral Dewey's mouth
what l distinctly gave as by own running
comment. l refer to the words that the
German flag could be bought anywhere
for 50 cents a yard I happened to be on
the quarterback of the Olympia at the
time one of the German admiral's officers
said to Admiral Dewey, in speaking OF the
movements of The German ships;
1--WE fly our flag, sir
"And to that 1 myself, not Admiral
Dewey. made the comment aside that
those flags could be bought for 90 cents
yard. / meant no offense to the German
flag by that speech. hope | am not SO
discourteous as that I merely called at
tention TO the fact that a Spanish fleet
could very easily hoist German flag, ana
get so close to us in the darkness before
its real identity was disclosed that il would
he 100 late In other words. we had all
been undergoing a long, hard strain, and
were in no humor to be taking chances
Now. as to that skit about the Kaiser
which l recited-and 1 emphasize the word
'recited' because it has been SAID tnat
sang IT, These verses were written long
time ago. lust after Emperor william made
what was called at the time the Mailed
Frist' speech I've never even seen that
speech. but it was just after that, about
the time that he sent Prince Henry out
to take charge of the German Asiatic
squadron that some Englishman wrote TINS
sHoch Der Kaiser Il was first printed,
I believe, in a Sydney, Australia, newspa-
per, ana was Copleu eA'SAi7ANeiS NiiA
out the East.
II saw it in an English paper in Hong
Kong. and it had such as easy swing about
II and was such a harmlessly clever bit or
verse that, without the slightest effort, l
found myself repeating il. 1 remember
at the time we were in Hong Kong, be-
fore we had ever met the German fleet off
Manila, l was a guest al dinner one even
ing at the home of Consul General Wild
* a brilliant L
ented woman and unusually clever in re-
beating interesting stories and poems. I
recited this one at the table, and she said
at the conclusion:
You have stolen my thunder, captain; I
was waiting myself to recite that"
IL would not cite this incident except TO
show that il was piece of doggerel which
was as common throughout the East as
',rheren Be Hot Time in the Old Town
Tonight has been an America. Some Of
my associates know that l remembered
the verses and put the club members up
70 insisting on them. At first 1 refused.
but they persisted until. in order not TO be
impohie. / yielded TO their requests.
II wish to add that personally and In an
official sense l entertain a high respect
for the German people and for the German
navy. l had most favorable opportunity
while at Manila to observe the discipline
and efficiency maintained in the kaisers
men of war. l found much pleasure in
paying the social calls which It fell to my
lot to make upon the commanding OFF,
vers of the German vessels. saw their
ships at target practice and observed that
they were expert In gunnery. Even il l
felt nettled over them for their attitude
during those trying days. 1 could not but
admire them in many ways. ! certainly
would not Intentionally speak disrespect-
fully of their flag.
II was quoted as having spoken with
sarcasm of Admiral Won Diedrich. That,
too was misrepresented. / made some ref
erence impersonaly to the German ad-
miral. when diner near me exclaimed
Won Diedrichs' / turned to the gentle
man who had offered the interruption and
with a wave OF the hand said
9" Yes, Admiral Won Diedriehs.'
THAT was all OF that incident. There
was certainly no effort at sarcasm on my
part My words have been unduly em-
phasizcd. that's all"
-e-o~s----