The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-09-28
DEWEY'S OWN STORY
OF Won DIEDERICHS.
He TeId.. rhs German Admiral That a q
Could Have War.
PATIENCE WAS EXHAUSTED.

Manila Bay for the Republic from
the bridge of the Olympia, writes to
the Chicago Record, under date OF
Nice, August %, as follows:
Probably in 10 other incident
connected with Admiral Dswey's
campaign in the Philippines has q
greater amount OF interes. for Am
orleans than the manner in which he
dealt with Vice Admiral Won Died
erich of the German navy. Hearsay
tales have been publis he'd without
number, but they have all lacked
some of the important facts, while
many of them have been concocted
with little reference to the truth.
''Iu order that the so-calIed Ger
man episode may be handed down
correctly to the historian of the IA
ture, L present the following sketch
thereof as it was given to me on the
d OK of the Olympia by Admiral
| Dewey himself:
speaking of his experience with
Vice Admiral Won Diederichs in
Manila Bay, shortly after the de
s'ructioa OF Admiral Montoio's feet,
Admiral Dewey said to me in con
versation:
81 was maintaining a strict block
ade of Manila. and had to know, of
course, the character and identity
of every vessel that entered the bay.
Tt Q fact that ship flew the Ger
man flag was no proof that she was
really German. Consequently, When
any craft came into the bay or NOV
ed about in it, it was rot only my
right. but my duty to learn beyond
question whether she was really
what she appeared to be.
GERMAN ADMIRAL's IGNORANCE.
q" In Carrying out my orders, my
commanding officer acted discreetly
and tactfully, giving no ofens-
to the naval representative of any
Power except Germany. l do not
know why Vice Admiral Won Died
erichs should have felt agrieved. 1
always attributed his protest to a
lack of knowledge of the interna.
tional laws. This view is borne out
not only by the circumstances OF the
case, but by his note to me. written
after having received the letter in
which I defined my attitude toward
the warships of other nations, as he
informed me that he should lay my
letter before the commanding Off
GERS of other squsdrons in the bay.
He got small comfort from any OF
them.
Captain Chichester, the senior
officer present Of the British Navy,
told him I was not only acting with
in my rights, but that I was entitled
to a great deal more than had re
CURED from the foreign cruisers.
Admiral Won Diederichs sent his
flag lieutenant to ma with list of
complaints that he wished to make
against the wayI treated the ships
uoder his command. They hal ex
hausted my patience had been
forebaring In the extreme, and this
protest, or complaint, was too much
The German officer who brought the
message was on the after deck, aud
when l had read it, stepped to the
door of my cabin. He came part
way to meet me snd stood 10 the
doorway.
'''As nearly as can remember, my
exact words were:
What is it you want? Do you
want war You know what that
means. II you d., you can have it
We are peaceful people, bat we
have got into a fight and we are
ready to 60 On II necessary We
are ready to fight the world You
may tell Admiral Won Diederichs
that am blockadiDg this bay and
that shall take such steps as are
the right aud duty Of bIockading
officer
Admiral Dswey referring TO the
banquet given by Prince Henry of
Prussia at Shanghai, said the first
toast. naturally enough. was ia hon