The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-25
Banqueted al the Union
League Club.
CAPTAIN COGHLAN TALKS
He Tells of How Admiral Dewey Nee
piled &c the Complaint er the Cerusan
Naval comnander-Ihc AdmiraIss
strict Enforcement Of blockade Rules
Against the German war~hip.-Gcr.
mans Greatly Surprised ny HI. hold.
ness and Determination.

New York. April I.-Captaan J II.
Coghlau and hts officers % the United
STATES cruiser Raleigh were royalty en-
tertained tonight T the Union League
Club.
The dining room was hadsomaIy dec
GRATED with American and British flags
and large tables were weighted with
good things for the returned heroes.
President Eli Root, presided and az
ter an eloquent speech Of welcome. CALI
ed for three cheers for Admiral Dewey.
They We're given so that the building
seemed to throb in sympathy. Three
mighty cheers followed for Captain
Coghlan.
Almost greater than either were the
shouts Of approval when President
Root called for three cheers FOR the
men behind the guns There was a
perfect furore OF excitement and en-
thusiasm
Captain Coghlan was then called on
TO speak. He was given an ovation as
he rose. He accepted IL and all the
good things hat Ia been said about
him and his men as being mean for
Admiral Dewey.
1fN AaS We "1Ae Will ALL H0
added. we learned more and more TO
love him and more and more how the
countrys interests We're safe in his
hands n how he could do nothing
but that which would rebound To the
country's credit Through all those
long weary months OF waiting and the
most outrageous nagging thar any
BODY could suffer, wearing him ito the
very bone, he held himself up and he
held us up with him."
Then Captain Coghlan told the fol-
lowing story OF his admiral:
An officer OF our friend, Admiral
Won Diederich, came down one day to
make a complaint. 1t was my pleasure
to step out on the quarter deck tust
as he came board 1t was partly by
accident and partly by design. / heard
him tell the admiral about his COM
plant and 1 heard the admiral reply:
Tell your admiral those ships OF
mis- must stop when / say SO. | wish
to make the blockade OF this harbor
complete
The German officer replied: But
we f1y he flag
The reply OF the admiral was lust
like Dewey. He said: Those flags can
be bought at a half a dollar a yard
ANYWHERE
Their was no fun in that expression
OF the admiral. He told the officer that
any one could fly a German flag and,
that a whole Spanish fleet might come
upon him with German flags up. Then
ne drew back and stroked his mus
tache. He has a great habit OF strok-
ing his mustache when he gets mad.
He said:
Tell your admiral / am blockad-
ing here. Now note carefully what /
say and tell your admiral that I say
It 4 have been making this blockade
as easy for everybody as / could. but
L am getting tired OF the puerile work
here. 1t has been OF such a character
that a man would not notice it. al
though children might fight over IL:
but the time has come when it must
stop. Tell your admiral that the slight
est lnfraction OF any rule mill mean
but one thing. That will be war. 1t
VIII be so accepted and resented i'm
medlately. II your people are ready
Tor war with the United States they
can nave 1t at n time
Il am free to admit that it almost
TOOK my breath away. 1t came so
suddenly. We had expected Il all
along, but things you have been ex-
pectlng always come Unexpectedly. Ha
left with a face about his long. On
dlcating by holding up his hands far
apart.)
THE German said to me: L think
your ADMIRAL does not exactly under
stand
Not only does he understand.' T
toid MIN, but he means what he says
ana you had better look out
After that they did not breathe more
than four times successfully without
asking permission"