The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-01
ADMIRAL DEWEY
A DIPLOMAT ALSO
He Won Other Victories While in
Manila Bay.
CuRBfD THE GERMAN OFFICERS.
tie Was Prepared to whip Another
spanish Fleet IT. Neccssary-Could
Have Taken City of Manila. He
Made Friends of spauiards.
CuPBED THE GERMAN OFFICERS.

HIS tfe. the hardest not only in physical
work but in brain work as well II took
a diplomatist to manage things at Ma
Mia after the battle had been won' and 1t
was the work OF a d%ip'omatist rather man
that OF a fighter that Dewey was called
upon 10 perform. That he did the WORK
well = best evidenced by the tact tnat
from the time OF the battle 10 the pres
snt day. there has not arisen there a sin
gle complication with a foreign power
vxortbv Of mention. II looked at one time
as though the Germans had determined 10
make trouble for us. and perhaps the most
Interesting s.ory in connection with
Dewey's stav there after the battle Is the
story of how he behaved when Germany
seemed 10 threaten and how with dignity
he carried his points and that with but
one implied threat.
erman from the start was careless
Of the ordinary rules that govern DOCK
AIDED ports. German officers we're cocky.
They Cd things that they had no pushes
90 do without ever saying so much as
by your Leave They did not commi.
any overt act, but many OF the things
tina they did. u Is asserted. would have
furnished a good enough reason Tor a
fight If dmirdl Dewey had been looking
for q fight. The incident that led TO the
most friction was that known as the
Subig Bay incident. A German walship.
the Irene. left her anchorage In Manila
Bay one morning and sailed away 10
Subig Bay. on Grande Island there was a
Spanish garrison, and in the bay there
was d small Filipino boat which was pre-
pairing 20 make an attack upon the gar
rison. The Irene made no actual assault
on the Filipino boat. and did not actually
srfn~fcra Nth urhof she was doing hut
she sailed around In a threatening way
and at last she stopped very near TO
the island and took of a number OF Span
iards and some Catholic priests. The
Filipino In charge Of the little boat in
formed Admiral Dewey that the Irene
had interfered with him. and that she
was taking OF the Spanish garrison. The
Admiral Immediately sent for the captains
of the Raleigh and the Concord and when
they came aboard he directed them TO
make instant investigation and to act
accordingly. Within half an hour they
were under way for Subig Bay. The
Irene was still there when they arrived
of shore and her lookout sighted them
coming. Instantly the Irene weighed an
chor. hustled out to sea. and did 1t in
a way that showed plainly that she want
ed to avoid the American ships. She
made a wide detour out TO sea and finally
returned to her anchorage In Malta Bay.
The Raleigh and the Concord fired a few
shots at the defences OF the island. took
possession of Il. raised the American
flag, and then returned and reported. Ad-
miral Dewey never made any mention
Of this incident or any complaint about
Il TO the German Admiral: but the Ger
man Admiral later explained that all
the Irene was doing was taking of q few
non-combatants and German subjects who
wanted 10 be landed at Mania He did
land the people that he took OF the
island at Manila. and he did II without
the consent OF Admiral Dewey. which
was another violation OF the blockading
rules.
THE GERMAN LAUNCH.
Shortly after this incident. after dusk
one night. the lookout on the deck of
the Olympia sighted a steam launch max
ing for the Admirals ship. lie called
out according to the regulations. BOAT
ahoy.' There was no answer. He called
out again, Boat ahoy.' IL was the busi-
ness OF the man in charge of the boat
10 respond TO this call by announcing
who he was and what his business was.
but he did nothing Of the kind. The Ad-
miral and Captain Lamberton were on
the deck OF the Olympia at the time and
heard the call. Finally the Admiral said:
why don't you fire? 1t doesn't STOP
That was all nat the sentry wanted.
and the next moment he fired the six
FOUNDER. not so as TO hit the launch. but
so that whoever was In command could
hear the singing Of the shot. The launch
came on. The Admiral was very angry.
You Will FIRE again. he said. "and fire
20 hit"
Once more the gun was fred and this
time the shot came within q few feet Of
hitting the boat. IL 70 had hit IT,. it wou d
have sunk il. At the instant the shot
was fred the search light Of the Olympia
was turned on and it was seen that the
launch few the German colors. The Sec
ond shot put the fear of Coo into the
heart OF the German Lieutenant who com
manded the launch and he stopped quick
~. While this incident was going on.
one Of the Oiympia's launches had been
lowered. armed with a rapid fire gun IN
front and manned by q fun crew, and she
Was out and almost alongside the German !
before that launch had stopped. The Of
ncer IN charge recognized the German :
lieutenant and escorted him 20 the Olym- |
pia. There have been many versions /
printed as 10 what Admiral Dewey said
10 this young German poplnjay when he
at last came aboard tho ship. The most
lucid report OF the conversation Is given |
by John Barrett In his book about Ad-
miral Dewey. Barrett says the Admiral
ssid to him. do you appreciate what
you have done? Do you know that such
n raSa act on your part le against all the ]
rules OF war and might even have been
the cause Of a serious trouble between |
your country and miner suppose that a
shot; had killed. you and sunk your launch
The sfect m.ght have besn 70 have
brought . ntslpderstand,ns and a con-
iicI- II would have been very sasy FOR
q Spanish b1at nearing US harm 20 nave
put up a German fag and Junk the Gym
pia II we ala not SOP & In time. There r.
no excuse for such careleSsness. You
should understood he rules Of wal In a
OF this kind. Please present my
comp iments 10 your Admiral and ask
him TO direct his officers to be more care
ful IN the future"
ALWAYS READY.
There was some more OF this CONVERSE
ton and then the AdmifSl growing more
earnest. his voice taking a higher pitCh,
said: III The German Government has
decided TO make war on the United States
has so informed your Admiral, Il Is
his duty to let me know. But, whether
he intends 10 fight or not, | am ready"
German officer made some apologies
and FASTENED away. remarking 10 one Of
The officers Of the Olympia. MEN Gottl
Meln Colt. What f. the matter with
your Admiral today"
This incident practically ended the In
reference. or rather the annoyance OF
the erman They understood Dewey.
In the early days after the battle Of
Manila. Dewey was constantly warned Of
probability OF a strong Spanish fleets
sent 20 destroy his feet and to re-