The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-03
AUGUSTUS DEPARTURE
Was Agreed TO by Admiral Dewey
After Pledge Was Given.
Major Won Sonnenherg Says He Acted as
Intermediary In the Case.

| Chicago. Jan 3.-Major A. Won Son-
nenberg. German military attache 10
the empire OF Japan. the man who car
ried the message between Admiral Won
Diedrichs and Admiral Dewey by which
| permission was given for the transport
alton Of Captain General August from
Manila to Hong Kong on German war
vessel, is in Chicago. When seen by a
reporter at the auditorium he related
"A certain hitherto unwrittcn story OF
the American operations in the Philip
pines. II am a student OF military af-
fairs, perhaps ! might he called a the
Oretical warrior" he said lnasmuch as
he has the Iron Cross for bravery at
Sedan and was i'm - battles of the
Franco Prussian war, he Is practical
fighter as we'll
After the Graeco- Turkish war, I
went 10 the Orient" he continued. |
was with Prince Henry and ut the out
break of the Spanish American war
accompanied Aamiral Diedrichs 10 Ma
Mia.
! aid not witness the destruction OF
NontcJn's llc't by your ADMIRAL Dewey.
but J SAW very much Of the SUBSEQUENT
events. Because oL what 1 fJTw 1 want
10 rorrect at least one raise impressicu
that there was any lll-feeIing between
the commanders OF the American and
German Heels. There was a iii 'agree-
ment, ] admit over the right ST tiil
Americans to control German. ships.
nut that was soon settled Thep. as 10
the AuguSli incident there was nothing
secret about that transaction. / myself
was the messenger between the two ad-
mirals in the discussion over the dis
position OF Augusti.
Admiral Won Diedrichs asked
whether or not Admiral Dewey would
object TO Captain General August tax
ING passage on one Of the German dis
patch hoats running to Hong Kong
ADMIRAL Dewey said ne would not II tile
former captain general made some Kind
oi pledge that he would no longer bear
arms against the United States. This
was given. and the incident closed al
once. as the diplomats would say.
AS TO the Americans both ashore and
aboard ship | may say that | have
never met finer body of men | adj
inire your volunteer. TO my mind they
furnish magnificent material for sold
ierS, but ] am afraid that they have "A
hard task before them I'm the Philip
pines. | should not want the task of
controlling those Island unless / had
fully $4,000 men behind me. These ma
tives are going TO be hard problem To-
solve.
Since the finishing Of the Philippine
question | have been connected with
The imperial army OF Japan as "A stu
dent OF it's methods of military disci-
pine. To speak very conservatively.
believe that next To the German
army there is not a finer body of fight
Ihg men IN The world than that little
objection Of Japanese troops. The dis
'ipline is perfect. and any nation that |
Dicks quarrel with the japanese Is |
going to have no easy time of IT, 1 con- |
'ider them one of the most important |
actors I'm the future Oriental compi- |
'ations
But when Major Won Sonnenberg was
Questioned In regard 10 these same Ori-
ntal problems, he was silent. He said
hat he was still connected with the
japanese government and with thai of |
Germany as wen. and could say moth
ng.
turning to more personal matters.
le said that he MAS ON his way TO
with letters 10 Secretary
'iger and Gen. Miles. He would spend
few days about the department i'm
Washington and then would go on 10
'erlin To report TO his own government