The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-08
THE MESSAGE TO DEWEY.
Rear Admiral Crorninsh:eId Says
He Wrote the Famous Despatch.

Rear Admiral \ $ Crowniashield.
| Chief Of the Bureau OF Navigation gave
a very CircumstantiaI account today of
the history Of the famous despatch TO
Admiral Dewey directing him to capture
or destroy the Spanish ships in the Phil
/ lHplnes- There has been considerable
discussion about the authorshig Of the
despatch since Secretary Long speech
/ before the Massachusetts Club at Nan
tucket, in which he said that he would
Ike to know who wrote the message
After consultation today with Secretary
Long, Admiral CrowninshieId dictated
the following statement:
On the forenoon Of Sunday. April q.
1S.S, l went over with my son and his
cousin to the Arlington Golf Links to see
them play 4 round Of golf. About the
time they had finished / noticed the Sec
Tetary Of the Navy and Mrs Long driv-
up the road passing the golf links, and l
walked over to their carriage and had
short conversation with the Secretary
who informed me that he WIS going out
into the country to spend the day
soon after / returned TO my home in
Washington, where ! was informed that
Lieut. II h W hltJieSey- an officer on duty
in the Bureau Of Navigation, had called to
see me during my absence with an I'M
poTtant despatch 4 short time after.
Lieutenant W hittlesey again called with
the despatch in question, which was from
Admiral Dewey 10 the Secretary Of the
Navy. stating that the Governor Of Hong
kong had notified him that he must leave
that port with the force under his com
mand within fOrty-eight hours
-DeemiHg that il was of the greatest
Importance that reply should be sent as
soon as possible to Admiral Dewey. ! took
the despatch to the White House and laid
* before the President. The President
suggested that the preparing Of d reply
should be put off until the Secretary re
turned to the city, but l urged upon the
President the importance Of sending q
despatch to Admiral Dewey. who was
dOUbtedly auxiuusiE waiting instructions.
/ also informed the President that Il part
Of a day had elapsed since Admiral Dewey
had received the notice from the Governor
OF HongkoHg and that it was. at the mo-
ment we were talking, already Monday
morning II HOnEkoEg.
The President then directed me to &c
ana ind Mr. LOag- the Secretary Of the
Navy, and Judge Day. the Secretary of
state and bring them TO the White
House l procured d cab and drove to the
Portland the residence of Secretary Long
where was informed that he was still ab-
sent ana was not expected back until later
IN the day / then drove 10 the residence
OF Secretary Day. whom I found at home
and 10 Who1S2 ! delivered the Presidents
message Secretary Day got into the car
rIaEe vi. lne and We drove to the White
House, stopping eH route at the residence
Of Assistant Secretary OF State Adee.
where We were informed that the latter
was a the State Department
pom arriving at the White House
Secretary Day requested that I should
go TO the Navy Department and remain
near the telephone as he would probably
send for me in fifteen or twenty min
Utes- | proceeded TO the Navy Depart
meut and in a short tine received a teie-
phone message from the White House TO
come there Upon arriving at the White
House vas shown to the western end
OF the upper corridor where the PFeSi-
dent was sitting with the following per
sons Secretary Day. Attorney General /
GrlSss. Senator Hale, and one other, pos
sibly Secretary Bliss, though I am not
sure The late Senator Davis Joined the /
party later
A discussion Of the despatch from
admiral Dewey and the reply which
should be sent 70 him was taking place
when ! arrived. and IN which I took part
for several minutes The President then
turned TO Attorney Gtnerdl CIrISgs and
SAID: GTIESZS, yCu write 2 despatch for
Dewey to proceed to Manila and attack
the Spanish naval force assembled there
W hereup1n Attorney General CTriEgs !
know how To write that better than I do
you g and write Il. You viii find some
blanks IN the Cabinet room
i. at once, proceeded to the Cabinet
Room where I met 1Tr Hayes. son OF
eE-PrcSiteEt Hayes who was visiting at
the u hite House he got me some blanks I
and a pencil and 1 sat down and wrote
the despatch which was sent 10 Admiral [
Dewey Returning TO the Presidential /
party I handed the despatch | had pre-
pared 10 Attorney General Griggs- who
factory and handed II TO the President I
who vead II aloud
The only change that was made in the /
despatch as | wrote IL was the addition I
Of either the word capture OF the word (
destroy; the despatch as originally writ
ten by me contained but one OF these !
words. but which one I do not recall I
With this change the President approved (
of the despatch and returned II to me
with the remark that ne preferred that il
should not be sent until il was seen by
the Secretary Of the Navy I then said
to the President that I would take the I
despatch TO the Navy Department and /
have 1t put in cipher ready for the Sec
retary'S signature upon his return 10 the >
city.
i then went over to the Navy Depart
uaent. handed the despatch to Lieutenant
and directed him to 90 ahead
and PUG It into cipher and take it to the I
Portland as soon as the Secretary return
ed for his signature Lieutenant WhittIe- +
sey reported 70 me the same evening ]
That the Secretary had signed the de- !
spatCh and that It had been sent" /!