The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-09-23
STATEMENT BY DEWEY.
Admiral Gives the Facts Regard
ing the Won DIederiohs Epi-
sode at Manila.

Chicago, ILL.,, Sept. 19.-Joseph L.
Stickney sends to the Record from Nice,
France. a carefully prepared statement
regarding the controversy between Ad-
miral Dewey and Won Diederichs of the
German navy at Manila. There has been
much misinformation regarding this cpl
sode and a complete and accurate state
ment has not hitherto been published.
Admiral Dewey recently received the
proofs of a biography about to be pub
lished by an American firm and in 1t
were references to the Won Diederichs
incident. In order that the truth should
be known, the admiral gave a statement
of the affair, which is as follows:
Il was maintaining a strict blockade
of Manila and had to know, of course,
the character and identity of every vessel
that entered the bay. The fact that
that she was really a German. Conse-
quently when any craft came into the
bay or moved about in it it was not only
my right but my duty to learn beyond
question whether she really was what
she appeared to be. In carrying out my
orders my commanding officers acted dis
creetly and tactfuly. giving no offense to
the naval representatives of any power
except Germany. l do not know why
Vice-Admiral Won Diederichs should have
felt aggrieved. / always attributed his
protest to a lack of knowledge of lnterna-
tional law. This view is borne out by
not only the circumstances of the case,
but by his note to me, written after nav
ing received the letter in which l defined
my attitude toward the warships Of other
nations, as he informed me that he should
lay my letter before the commanding or
fcers of other squadrons in the bay.
He got small comfort from any of them.
Sustained by Authorities.
"Capt. Chichester, the senior officer
present Of the British navy, told him
that | was not only acting within my
rights, but that l was entitled to great
deal more than | had required from the
foreign cruisers. As Won Diederichs
seemed incredulous Chichester showed
him the orders he had received from the
British government, in which he was
specifically notified that he was to as
sumo no rights of entrance to ports under
our blockade unless l should be willing
to grant them. Won Diederichs wanted
to take a copy of Chichester's instruc-
tions, but the captain told him he had
let him see them for his personal infOr-
nation only, and that he would not al
low them to be copied.
Admiral Won Diederichs sent his flag
lieutenant to me with a list of complaints
that he wished to make against the way
l treated the ships under his command.
They had exhausted my patience. l had
been forbearing in the extreme, and this
protest of complaint was too much. The
German officer who brought the message
was on the after deck, and when l had
read it stepped to the door of my cabin.
He came part way to meet me and stood
III The doorway. AS nearly as L can re-
member my exact words were:
Ready to Fight Now.
What is it you want? Do you want
war: You know what that means. If
you do, you can have it in five minutes.
We are peaceable people, but we have
got into 4 fight now, and we are ready
TO go on. If necessary we are ready to
tight the world You may tell Admiral
yon Diederichs that l am blockadng this
bay, and that | shall take such steps as
are the right and the duty of the block
aiding officer"
Admiral Dewey does not hesitate to ex-
press privately opinions concerning pub
lie questions Of great Importance, but he
carefully refrains from speaking upon
matters OF international Interest cNCupI
upon due reflection. That he should have
given the foregoing, with no restrictions
against its publication, implies that he
feels that it is time to clear himself of
the charge of stirring up ill-feeling be
tween the United States and Germany
by uttering sneers at the German i'm
perial family. The Won Diederichs in
cident is set right, in interest of truth.
for the benefit of future historians, and
publication of the exact facts at this late
day can do no harm to anyone.