The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-22
HOW DEWEY BLUFFED HIM
TOLD DlE0RicHS TO KEEP STILL OR
FIGHT.
Capt. CoghIan's Speech at the Union League
Club. Cheers for the Men Be.
hind the Guns

New York, April 21.-Captain j. b.
Coghlan and his officers of the United
States cruiser Raleigh were royalty en-
tertained tonight at the Union League
Club.
The dining room was handsomely dec
Grated with American and British flags
and large tables were weighted with
good things for the returned heroes.
President Elihu Root presided ard af-
ter an eloquent speech of welcome called
for three cheers for Admiral Dewey.
They were given so that the building
seemed to throb in sympathy. Three
mighty cheers followed FOR Captai0
Coghlan.
Almost greater than either were the
shouts of approval when President Root
called for three cheers for the men be-
hind the guns" There was perfect
furore of excitement and enthusiasm.
Captain Coghlan was then called on to
speak. He was given an ovation as he
rose. He accepted it and all the good
things that have been said about him
and his men as being meant for Admiral
Dewey.
added, 1--WE learned more and more 20
love him and more and more how the
country's interests were safe in his
hands and how he could do nothing but
that which rebounds to the country's
credit. Through all those weary months
of waiting and the most outrageous
nagging that anybody could suffer, wear
ing him to the very bone, he held HIM
self up and he held us up with him"
Then Captain Coghlan told the follow
ing story of his Admiral:
AN officer of our friend, Admiral Won
Diedrich, came down one day to make a
complaint 1t was my pleasure to step
out on the quarterback just as he came
aboard 1t was partly by accident and
partly by design. l heard him tell the
Admiral about his complaint, and
heard the Admiral reply: Tell your Adj
miral those ships of his must stop when
| say so. | wish to make the blockade
of this harbor complete
THE German officer replied: But we
fly the flag
THE reply of the Admiral was just
like Dewey He said: Those flags can
be bought at half dollar a yard any
where
There was no fun in that expression
of the Admiral He told the officer that
any one could fly German flag and that
whole Spanish fleet might come upon
him with German flags up. Then he
drew back and stroked his mustache. He
has a great habit of stroking his mus
tache when he gets mad. He said:
Tell your Admiral am blockading here.
Now note carefully what / say and tell
your Admiral that | say it. ! have been
making this blockade as easy for every
body as | could but l am getting tired
of the puerile work here. 1t has been of
such d.. that a man would not
notice it although children might fight
over it. but the time has come when il
must stop. Tell your Admiral that the
slightest infraction of any rule will mean
but one thing. That will be war. 1t
win be so accepted and resented imme-
diately. If your people are ready for
war with the United States they can
have it any time
Il am free to admit that that almost
took my breath away. 1t came so sid
denly. We had expected it al along,
but things you have been expecting al
WAYS come unexpectedly. He left with
a face about this long.
Indicating by holding up his hands far
apart.)
THE German said to me: think
your Admiral does not exactly under
stand
''Not only does he understand, told
him, but he means what he says and you
had better look out
After that they did not breath more
than four times successively without
permission"