Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-04-28

Who Told story Of bewey's Reply to n
Herman Omcer at ManiIa---Coghian
Escaped with " HeprimRnd.
Capt. Coghan, commander of the
cruiser Raleigh, threatened TO make the
relations between the United States and
Germany embarrassing by his indiscreet
statements at a banquet at the Union
League club in New York Friday DR..
Won Holleben, the German ambassador at
Washington, made a formal protest 10 the
state department.
Secretary Hay replied that the language
appeared TO have been used at a dinner in
a club and so could not be regarded as an
official or public utteTance In the sense
that would warrant the state department
in acting. However, the navy department
was fully competent TO take such action as
the case seemed to require.
Capt. Coghlan made some additional
observations to the same effect at the
Army and Navy club in New York Satur-
day night. There was talk of court mar
tial for COghlan, but he escaped with a
reprimand. He explained the incident to
the navy department by stating that his
statements had been greatly exaggerated.
Coghlan before got into trouble several
years ago by writing an abusive letter of
the Eagan type to one of his superior
officers. For this he was reduced in rank
IS numbers. He gained six numbers by
his part in the battle of Manila bay, and
action had been taken to restore him the
other numbers.
Rear Admiral kautZ wrote private let
ter to a cousin in Cincinnati which found
its way into print. He stated that he was
''boss of the ranch" at Samoa, and added:
"The German consul had that position up
to my arrival, but since then he has been
very silent partner. | am very much
afraid he does not like me-in fact | am
not at all popular here with the Germans
But | am all right with the English, and
hope to pull through with them. l have
no doubt of being sustained by the govern
ment in all have done"
The story told by Capt. Coghan as re-
ported was as follows: can officer of our
friend, Admiral Won Diederich, came
down one day to make a complaint. 1t
was my pleasure to step out of the quarter
deck just as he came aboard. l heard
him tell the admiral about his complaint,
and l heard the admiral reply: Tell
your admiral those ships of his must stop
when say so. | wish to make the block
ade of this harbor complete The Ger
man officer replied: But we fly the flag.
The reply of the admiral was Just like
| Dewey. He said: Those flags can be
bought at halfdolla yard anywhere
"There was no fun in that expression
of the admiral. He told the officer that
anyone could fly German flag, and that
a whole Spanish fleet might come upon
him with German flags up. Then he
drew back and stroked his mustache. He
has great habit of stroking his mustach(
when he gets mad. He said: Tell your
admiral L m blockading here. Now note
carefully what l say, and tell your admiral
that say 1t. l have been making thi:
blockade as easy for everybody as l could
but I'm getting tired of the puerile worl
here. IL has been of such a character thai
a man wouldn't notice it, although chill
dren might fight over it, but the time ha;
come when it must stop. Tell your ad
miral that the slightest infraction of my
rule will mean but one thing. That will
be war. 1t will be so accepted and re
scented Immediately. If your people ar,
ready for war with the United States the!
can have it at any time
"rm free to admit that that almos
took my breath away, it came so suddenly
We had expected it all along, but thing
you have been expecting always come I'm
expectedly. AS he left with face abou
this long Indicating by holding up hi
hands far apart, the German said to me
Il think your admiral does not exactly un
derstand.' Not only does he understand,
told him, but he means what he says
and you'd better look out After tina
they didn't breathe more than four time
successfully without asking permission"