The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-30
A NEW SCHLEY INCIDENT.
HOW THE ADMIRAL TOOK IN THE
SPANISH DIPLOMATS"
He Let Them Talk and Then Repeated
Their Remarks in Spanish at tho
Proper Time.
Especial Correspondence OF Tho rost,l


Washington, October % An incident in
the career Of Rear Admiral Schloy. which
formed climlx 70 his thrilling work at
Santiago, seems never to have been printed
although. as side light It reveals his abil-
tiles as a successful diplomat quite as much
in proportion to the opportunities as Adj
miral Dewcy's skin In diplomacy was OK.
hibitcd In the Philippines subsequent to his
display OF naval strategy In Manila harbor
II was In the closing hours OF the war
between this country aud Spain, and oc
CURED at san Juan, Porto Rico during
September, 1898. about month after the
battle Of Santiago Admiral Schley, to.
gether with General w. W. Gordon Of the
volunteer service and General John r.
Brooke Of the regular army, were CON
stltuted commission to proceed to Porto
Rico and arrange the details for the cyacu-
alton Of that island by the spauards and
the transportation OF the soldiers ~ the
hoy king, Alfonso, to Spain. Arriving at
San Juan with General Gordon in the early
part of September, Admiral Schlcy found
General Brooke with the United states
forces cncampcd nj Rio Piedras about eight
miles from San Juan.
Communication was established lmmedl,
atoly after tho transport Seneca, contain
| ing Admiral schlcy and General Gordon
had anchored In the harbor OF Sau Juan.
| 1t was then in order for the United states
| commissioners 10 meet a corresponding
body Of representatives OF the spanish gov
crnment and headquarters Of the lelnt com
I mission was established nj the Hotel IA
! glaterra in San Juan. II was the general
| impression that the services or interpreters
! would be absolutely necessary inaSinuch as
] Z WINS
/ leans could speak Spanish ana none OF me
/ Spuniards could speak English huently
enough to make intercourse possible In one
Interpreters were accordingly secured by
both sides and the sessions Gf the commS'
sion were inauguraicd without heeuless
| delay. All the Spaniards on the commits
| sion were dcCkcd out In their most brllllaht
apparel and across their breasts were strung
numerous medals. whether bought IN SHOPS
! or Justly earned being the contudfum' AZ
| the American commissioners wore the Unit
forms of their respective branches OF ser
| vice, and while not 50 gaudily atureu OF
SO resplendcnt with medals anu deenra'i ,.ln
| as the Spanish commissioners they We'
! scented very imposing and Impressive Ilp
OF "Gringos," as The SpaniarIs term
the Yankees
| sles and exchange of fOrmalilies, and II
was not long before the deliberations OF te
commission were under way II was on
served that the Spauards present We're ~
high glee over what was transplriug and
they chuckled and talked to each DINER III
the most demonstrative manner nullug tnS
process OF having their remarks ifanhlA~d
into English ny the interpreters 1hls pro
cedure reminded some Of those present Oh
an Indian pow WOW AT the interior uepH
ment In this city when some blg chlel
! would give vent to few gutteral SOUND,
after which the halfbreed Interpreter Monla
deliver an Grafton OF seyera! minutes Iuld
tion in which he would tell now much ~
! gard the Indians had for their great tathei
an Washington" and how earnestly they de
sire 10 live AT peace with the white people
! of This country. Such Incidents have peer
Of frequent occurrence ana no one eNcl
credited an Interpreter Win tsllihg JUS
what the Indians had really said
So II was at the San Juan conference
ApnarentIv the Americans were at . disnd
vintage in their experience with the Willy
! and diplomatic Spaniards, ana the latel
. took In the situation snd proeeeue9 l'
make the most Of y among , ansnl ,,tteri,
! M variance with the studied efforts on IN
Z part Of the Interpreters VINO were huepa
In the part Of discrimination ana yihE. lus
! as the Spanish pilots were Wnen they KY
Admiral Schley that IL would be imp0ssiDI
for Ceryerss feet 10 enter the barbor o
Santiago. Amid such scenes ana sutroun.ii
ings the commissioners performed tns w
0 allotted 10 them: the Americans consple
G uous for their dignity and composed behI
: ing, while the Spanards chqttefed 20 eVl
dent giee. They felt perteetG ssie u IL ~
LIQUID Language OF their own sunny IAN
{ and seemed not IN the least embarras g.
by the gravity Of the affairs they were dis
Among other topics they discussed \
e Spanish was the necessity for proionein
I negotiations 10 order that they might r.
ceive ample compensation for their stfsiee
personally and at the same iime hoin o
! to the customs. postal ann other revenue
y for the benefit OF their hoy king Ihe I
: went so far MS 10 fix some time 10 fet
4 ruary, 1880, aud possibly later, lor VII WI,
n Ing control 10 the Grngos' ana congratu
!, lated each other upon the success me
Q would undoubtedly have IN carrying ou
y this pre-arranged program -.
All this time the Americans were appaI
c entity Oblivious 70 the meaning on the w
q yersation 10 their midst and cont ,sard
+ themselves with listening 70 the Moin
droned out BY the Interpreters, AulnlI,
! schley, II was observed, however. W9I1l
E occasionally write something on thvis
I lying before him. but, unsospecun sH, IN
/ Spanish commissioners confirmed thsI "
mltigated chatter and good humof, ~ W.
i such an easy thing 10 hoodwink people WI
I could not understand their language ..
This course OF procedure cohus ~, =.
two or three days, but an hour OF IsgihDia
Ing was at hand OF which the oPanlatsp 4
I little dreamed. They had not puiiea "