The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-30
THE COGHLAN INCIDENT.
Ne Great Importance Attached 10 the
Speech by High Officials.
THAT FRICTION EXISTED IS ADMITTED
But IL Soon Gave Way TO Thor
ough Understanding Followed by
the Utmost Good Feeling.

at New York has been very generally dis
cussed by the German papers this week.
although 1t is evident. as stated to the
Associated Press correspondent here by "a
responsible member of tho government,
that the journalistic mouthpieces Of the
government did not desire to construe
the Objectionable utterances as anything
more than the remarks OF man who had
not been accustomed to measuring his
words. For day or two, however, a
number of the leading newspapers pub
lished severe structures on the case
With view to obtaining declaration
from governmental headquarters, the COR
RESPONDENT here OF the Associated Press
sought an interview with Privy Councillor
Hamman, a high official OF the foreign Of
hce. Having been instructed by the min
ister of foreign affairs Baron Won Bulow.
Councillor Hannah said: SO far AS the
foreign Office knows, there never was a
serious misunderstanding between Ad-
mifal Won Diedrichs and Admiral Dewey
not oven during the early part OF last
summer,
We VIII not deny that there were few
light bitches at the first. Admiral Dewey
may possibly have suspected for a time
tAat Admiral Won Diedrichs was intrgu-
ing with the Spaniards at Manila, or that
Germany may have meant 10 take hos
tile stand. This may have been due to
certain eyolutions OF our ships which Ad-
mural Dewey misconStrued. On the other
hand, Admiral Won Diedrichs probably
keenly felt the restrictions OF a stringent
blockade, which greatly hampered tho
movements OF his ships. This irksome
position may have tried the patience of
ADMIRAL h4 "a
we believe. was the case both al Manila
and at llollo. but whatever little uuploas-
antness grew out OF this condition never.
II we nave been correctly informed took
serious complexion and II never was so
understood by either party All OF this
was over long ago ana the grass ms
grown over II. BY the end OF last summer
the relations between Admiral Won Died
rlcns ana Admiral Dewey were of tha most
Pheasant character and. according 10 tbp
latest adNices, are so now to the extent
or rendering mutual services and fra
ternlzlng on moro than one occasion. The
same conditions exist at Samoa, where all
reports to the contrary, notwlthstandinr
our adViees show that never since the
trouble began nave the relations of the
commander and crew OF the German
cruiser Fake aud those of the English
ana American vessels ceased to be cordial
ana pleasant. This has been tbo rnse
tho crew OF the United States crulseP
philadelphia are number OF German
americans and through them friendly in
Nreourse came quite naturally. All our
reports agree on this point"
:, herman residents OF Apin." Councillor
Bammau continued Especially meniion
that they had not had 10 snfcr racrt.,
ss much from the Americans on account
or passport regulations and other N,r,,,.
measures MS from the British. thanh, 10
'ne more ufbane methods OF the former
hegarding the ntlRrances of Canaan
coghlan, Councillor Hannah soid f@Tbo
government attached no inportanoe ia ma
incident The assurapce received from
Washington on That slibiect has been on.
uFely satisfactory Soma On thn nova
paper comments ollclted by Captain Cogh
Lah Wifrahees are very significant For
eAainpIe, me franldurtor Heiuug ldmts
lhdt ~ saw no necessity for The dispatch
OF large German squadron 10 Manila Ana
asserts that the squadron interfered In,
1ndieiously With the American blockade
me zeiinng alleges that this interior.
enee was due to direct Instructions from
Emperor William
EH n more significant is tho fact that
the Cologne Volks 2eltung, tho main orFan
Of the centre. the dominant party in The
Ielcnslas, mas an article agreeing with
the foregoing statement and containing the
following mysterious passage
NlhapH II was uue TO NOEOfiaftOn8
the part Of Germany In order TO ohtaiu
u possible, coallng station In the Phil
ipplnes, that 4 number of our vessels
were sent 10 Manila. II this assumption is
correct. those who sent instructions to
Admiral Won Diedrichs without the
knowledge OF the foreign office received
bitter lesson. The foreign office has since
been engaged in remedying the blunder.
and has succeeded with the American gov
eminent. but not yet with the people OF
the United states, as the Coghlan incident
again demonstrates"
The force OF this editorial is heightened
by the fact that the paper IN which II WAS
published was. from the outbreak of the
war with Spain( one Of the mos virulent
enemies OF the United States. The Nolks
Zeituug and other papers advise Germans
not TO underyaiue the Importance of hos
tile demonstrations accompanying the
Coghlan incident, putting them on parallel
lines with similar Incidents on both sides
in the period preceding the Franco-uerman
war.
The iiugo agrarian press seizes the OPP
portunity 30 attack the cabinet and par
ticu.srly the foreign minister, Baron Won
Bulow, and to reitorate the charge mat
he ia pursuing a vacillating policy
The North German Gazette Tor example,
says Advancing IN the wrong time ana
then refreshing at tho wrong time -~tnat
has been our foreign policy for decade
past"
other newspapers continue fhe campaign
for larger navy. insisting thai II Ger
many wishes to remain world power
she must have many more ships so as TO
be able to interfere al any time and any
where. The great majority of the news
papers. however, preserve calm aud
reasonable tone over the Coghlan incl |
dent.
The correspondent OF the Associated
Press learns that Emperor William has /
taken deep Interest in the Coghlan IN
cident and the affairs that have been de-
veloping in Samoa. While visiting at Wur-
temburg. the emperor had full reports
sent to him regarding both matters. in
Guiding a copy OF the satrieal ditty which
Captain Coghlan sang at the conclusion of
his speech at the Union League club in
New York and which his majesty read
with great amusement
AS SEEN IN ENGLAND.