The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-30
Origin of the Numerous Stories That
Came from Manila Explained by
Privy Councillor Hannah.
CAPT. COGHLAN'S UTTERANCES
OF THE FRANKFURTER
ZEITUNG ON THE CASE.
Emperor Williams Thanks for q Ger
man Cable Concession and Presi-
dent Mckinley's Reply.
Copyright. 1893. by the Associated rress.l

copyright. 1893. by the Associated Press.l
BERLIN. April 29.-The Coghlan incident
at New York has been very generally dis
cussed by the German papers this week, al
though it is evident. stated to the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent here by a re-
sponsible member of the government that
the Journalist mouthpieces OF the govern
ment did not desire to construe the objec-
tioEable utterances as anything more than
the remarks of a man who had not been
accustomed TO measuring his words. For
a day or two however, number of leading
newspapers published severe structures on
the case With a view to obtaining a decla-
ration from governmental headquarters. the
CORRESPONDENT here of the Associated Press
sought an interview with Privy Councillor
Hannah. a high official of the Foreign Of
fee. Having been instructed by the min
lister of foreign affairs, Baron Won Buelow,
Councillor Hannah said:
so far as the Foreign Office knows, there
never was a serious misunderstanding be-
tween Admiral Won Diedrichs and Admiral
Dewey not even during the early part or
last summer We will not deny that there
may have been slight bitches at first, Tor
the situation was difficult one for both
Germans and Americans. Admiral Dewey
may possibly have suspected for time that
Admiral Won Diedrichs was intriguing with
the Spaniards at Manila, or that Germany
may have meant 10 take a hostile stand
This may have been due to certain evolu-
tions of our ships which Admiral Dewey
misconstrued. On the other hand. Admiral
Won Diedrichs probably keenly felt the re-
strictions of a stringent blockade which
greatly hampered the movements OF his
ships This irksome position may have
tried the patience of Admiral Won Diedrichs
at times. This, we believe, was the case
both at Manila and Iloilo, but whatever I'M
pleasantness grew out of this condition
it never, if we have been correctly Informed,
took serious complexion, and it never was
so understood by either party. All of this
was over long ago and the grass has over
grown it. Ever since the end Of last sum-
mer the relations Of Admiral Won Diedrichs
and Dewey have been of the most pleasant
character, and, according TO the latest ad-
vices are so now. TO the extent of render
ing mutual services and fraternizing on
more than one occasion.
1.-The same condition exists at Samoa,
where. all reports TO the contrary notwith-
standing. our advices show that never since
the trouble began have the relations of the
commander and crew of the German cruiser
Fake and those of the English and Ameri-
can vessels ceased to be cordial and pleas
ant. This has been the case especially with
the Americans. Among the crew of the
United States cruiser Philadelphia are
number of COMMUNICATIONS and through
them friendly intercourse came quite nat
urally. All our reports agree on this point.
German residents OF Apa," Councillor
fol,,
that they had not had to suffer nearly as
much from the Americans on account of
passport regulati tons and other warlike
measures as from the British, thanks to the
more urbane methods of the former.
Regarding the utterances of Captain
Coghlan, the government" Councillor Ham,
man concluded, has attached no impor-
tance to the incident. The assurances re-
ceived from Washington on that subject
have been entirely satisfactory"
Some of the newspaper comments ELECTED
by Captain Coghlans utterances are very
significant. For example, the Frankfurter
Zetung admits that it saw no necessity for
the dispatch of a large German squadron to
Manila and asserts that the squadron in
terfered injudiciously with the American
blockade. The Zeitung alleges that this in
reference was due to direct instructions
from Emperor William. Even more sig
nificant Is the fact that the Cologne Volks
Zeitung. the main organ of the Center, the
dominant party in the Reichstag, has an ar
ticle agreeing with the foregoing statement
and containing the following mysterious pas
sage: perhaps it was due to negotiations
on the part of Germany, in order to obtain
If possible, coaling station in the Philip
pines, that a number of our vessels were
sent to Manila. If this presumption be cor
rect, those who sent instructions to Ad-
mral Won Diedrichs without the knowledge
of the Foreign Office received a bitter lesson.
The Foreign Office has since been engaged
in remedying the blunder and has succeeded
with the American government but not yet
With the people of the United States as the
Coghlan incident again demonstrates"
The force of this editorial article is
heightened by the fact that the paper in
which it was published was. from the out
break of the war with Spain, one of the
most virulent enemies of the United States.
The VoIks Zeitung and other newspapers
advise Germans not TO unrevalue the i'm
portance of hostile demonstrations accom-
panying the Coghlan incident. putting them
on parallel lines with similar incidents on
both sides in the period preceding the
Franco-German war.
The correspondent of the Associated Press
learns that Emperor William has taken a
deep interest in the Coghlan incident and in
affairs that have been developing in Samoa.
While visiting at Wartburg. the Emperor
had full reports sent to him regarding both
matters including copy of the satirical
u-bi oh IN ar ha
conclusion of his speech at the Union
League Club. in New York, and which his
Majesty read with great amusement.
The lingo Agrarian press seizes the oppor-
tunity to attack the Cabinet and particular
ly the foreign minister, Baron Won Buelow.
and TO reiterate the charge that he is pur-
suing vacillating policy. The North Ger
man Gazette. for example. says: "Advanc-
ing at the wrong time and then retreating
at the wrong time--that has been our for
eign policy for decade past.
Other newspapers continue the campaign
for a larger navy. insisting that IL Germany
wishes to remain world power she must
have many more ships, so as to be able to
great majority of the newspapers, however,
preserve a calm and reasonable tone over
the Coghlan incident.
Universal attention has been attracted in
political circles by the prominence given in
the semi-ofiicial North German Alegemine
DAs.. ia