The times., 1899-04-25
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.


a Brnve Man Gone WronS.-As
| might be expected. the fearful break Of
Captain Coghlan at the Union League and
Army and Navy clubs in New York formed
the chief topic of conversation in Navy
| circles in Washington yesterday. Old
mess mates Of the returned Manila fighter,
| men who have known him long and liked
him. were emphatic in their expressions
Of regret for his foolish conduct. But
even those most friendly said they hardly
dared hope that so fragrant a breach of
professional etiquette could be overlooked
| by the Government. An officer of the
American Navy to be competent to COM
| mand a ship, should at least be able to
command himself and his vocal organs
| even when in the circumstances of Jack
| ashore and exposed to all the fatal allure
ments of Croton water and club salmon
A naval commander when he acts, as
often he must. as the sole representative
| OF his country in port more or less hos
| tile, and for the purpose of protecting or
| enforcing national rights. needs to be a
| diplomatist as, well a man behind the
| guns. Coghlan has been in trouble be-
| fore, but, it is highly probable, not for
| the last time. "Hoch der Kaiser" piled
on top of his unamiable narrative regard
| ing the German admiral in Manila Bay, is
| extremely liable to produce charges which
| may be uncomfortable to meet.
The Diplomatic Situation. a. II is
! noticeable that the German Embassy. and
as far as can be learned, the Foreign Of
| fee at Berlin. are taking the Coghlan epi
| sode with good-humored patience. So far
| there has been every Indication that the
| Kaiser's Government is satisfied that ours
will do the polite thing in the premises.
and is not making any ugly faces at US
| in the mean time. That is we'll. The de-
cent portion of the American press is Sc
yerely critical of Coghlan. and should be.
1t is a remarkable fact that hardly any
body seeks to crawl behind the truth that
| worse things have been said and published
in Germany about our Rear Admiral Kautz
| than the indiscreet navy captain has
| thought OF. That does not matter. II
America has been made to appear in the
| wrong by the bad manners of one of her
zen in epaulettes, then America will be
| sure to make the amende honorable.
General WheeIer's Chances.-An old
| army officer observed last night that he
would have good deal more confidence in
the outcome of the Philippine campaign II
! only Mr.. Mckinley would sent General
| Wheeler to the islands in command He
| said: Joe Wheeler is the only living
American general who has had experience
| in command of whole army operating in
scattered columns over a hostile country
| Wheeler is as full of military tricks as an
| egg is of meat. He knows his books as
| well as any Of US and has written some,
| but he is also famous as a commander
| VINO can invent new strategy and tactics
| faster than circumstances can be created
| to bother him. He is by all odds the man
| for the emergency and should be given a
| chance"
iIger and the Cabinet.-It was re-
marked last night in a group of prominent
men, including at least one Cabinet officer.
| that whereas Alger expects great things
from a whitewashing report by the Beef
| Court of Enquiry, he is apt to be sadly
| disappointed, as far as the public may be
concerned. A gentleman, formerly a Sem
| ator, said: Whatever may be the nominal
| result to Alger and the War Department,
no one can question the fact that all the
evidence has been as much before the
world as before the Court. II the findings
| of the latter do not coincide with those
of the former. ii will not make penny
weight OF difference. Unless the Admins
| tration at once takes a bold stand and
| proceeds to denounce and attempt TO pun
| ish the crimes committed against American
| soldiers and national honor there will be
verdict at the polls next year which
will be even more effective than If signed
| by several persons wearing shoulder
straps"