The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-25
GERMANY ASKS SATISFACTION.
CAPT. COGHLAN's REMARKS HAVE
CAUSED INDIGNATION.

rotary Hay 10 Enter "a ProtcSt-The
secretary Considered II IA Matter
for the Navy Department., and As
sured Him II Would he Taken IN.
Little Can BE Done If CoghIan re-
mains silent.
washington, April 4-The German gov
ernment has entered formal protest
against the language used by Cant. Coeh-
ian OF the Raleigh at the Union League
cub banquet in New York last Friday
night, and also his remarks on Saturday
night before the Army and Navy Club.
The protest was lodged with Secretary
Hay through the German ambassador,
Herr Won Holleben.
Secretary Hay replied that the language
appeared 10 have been used at a dinner in
a club and 80 could not be regarded as an
ofhciai or pubic utterance In the sense
mat would warrant the state department
IN acting. However, the navy department.
was fully competent to take such action
as the case seemed to require. with this
statement the ambassador was content for
the time at least,and will doubtless await
a reasonable length of time on the navy
department.
Too Nasty to he Noticed"
There are semi-official intimatons that
the ambassador will not so much concern
himself with the course of Capt. Coghlan
as with the course of the United States
in dealing with Coghlan. The German
ambassador stated to-day that the poem
recited by Capt Coghlan was too nasty
to be noticed"
Though relieved from accountability 20
the state department directly by Secretary
Hays attitude. the navy department. as
Secretary Hay has indicated must deal
with the case.
Capt. Coghlan can be called to account
on several charges, presuming that he has
been correctly reported and that he ad-
mits the utterances. AS in Commodore
Meade's case, If he stands mute and the
newspaper men refuse to testify the navy
department can proceed no further, The
charges which would most probably be
brought against Capt. Coghlan in case the
affair progresses to a courtmartlal, would
be conduct 90 the prejudice of good order
and discipline, and conduct unbecoming
an officer and a gentleman.
COghIan Has Not Replied.
So far no response has been received
from Cant Coghlan at the navy depart
ment. Ii is expected that the officer will
proceed with deliberaton in making any
statement he may care to submit TO the
department..
Meanwhile unpleasant suggestions are
follow the execution of the round of recep-
tions already planned for the Raleigh.
The German ambassador appeared at the
state department at noon to-day for the
purpose OF making further representations
to Secretary Hay, touching the conduct of
Capt. Coghlan so that the utterances of
Capt. Coghlan at the Army and Navy
club, as published In yesterday morning 3
papers were regarded as an additional Of
fense. An effort was made to ascertain
whether the United States government in
tended TO do anything officially in view of
subsequent developments In the case.
Secretary Hays Attitude.
Secretary Hay has not changed his posi-
tion In any degree. He deprecated the
lack of tact and the bad taste shown by
Capt Coghlan, and he did not hesitate 10
let that be known to the German ambass-
ador. But he still held that the case was
one that required treatment by methods
of naval discipline only, and with which
the state department could not concern
itself.
The German ambassador will communi-
cate the departments view to the foreign
Office at Berlin. The officials on both
sides realize that his episode may grow
into very great source of discord, un-
less treated discreetly and cooly
Our officials are somewhat surprised at
the Importance attached to this incident,
by the German government. 1t is said
that our own government has ignored
many utterances of German officials of
sentiments far more inimical to the United
States than was the talk OF Capt. Cogh-
Ian to Germany.
WIN lie Properly Dealt with.
After the conf 1nce between Secretary
Hay and the German ambassador this
noon, II was stated In authoritative GUAR
ters that there was no reason to view the
Coghlnn affair in too serious light or as
presenting grave international complica-
tions. The meetings to-day, ID was stated
had been mutually agreeable.
The main feature Of the state depart
ment conference was in establishing that
Germany expects the United States gov
ernment to deal with the Coghlan affair
according to the gravity of the offense.
and the United States in turn gives as
surance that every just expectation In this
respect will be performed.
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