The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-22
Newspaper Man at Ma
Mia Bay Praises Tact
of American.
GREAT INTEREST
FELT IN GERMANY
Won Diederichs's Reply Expected
to Make Clear Correctness of
Course He Pursued-Serious
Character of Controversy
Shown by Statement
of Won Tirpitz.
Especial to Tho Times-Dlspa.ch.l

!
New York. February 21..Only two
newspaper men and ono newspaper ar
fist were actual eyewitneases of Ad-
miral Dewey's victory over the Spanish
| Meet at Manila
| Stfckncy. graduate OF Annapolis, who
was serving n Now York newspaper
! and u. W. Harden, now New York
| banker. The newspaper artist wa.
John T. McCutcheon. of Chicago.
Mr.. stickney is dead. Mr.. McCut-
cheon's story was published to-day
Edward w. Harden, the only survivor
| of the newspaper stan correspondence
present. kept notes of the events ht
witnessed. and from these notes, which
arc still preserved, he wrote to-day
a graphic account of the clash between
! Admiral Dewey and Admiral Won Died
er!chs. commander of tho German fleet
| Mr.. Harden shows that Admiral
Dewey has given. In his autobiography
very modest and tactful account OF
| what occurred. Now the German Reich
stag and the Kaisers Foreign Office
| have taken up tho controversy. all the
facts are certain to be brought out
I No one is moro competent than Mr.
| Harden to write or speak OF his owr
| knowledge.
Various AEErnvntins Incidents.
After describing various incidents
! lations between the American and Ger
man naval officers. Mr.. Harden tells no VI
| Dewey put an end to the German Incl
dent In Manila Bay, as follows:
The action of the Germans had be-
come so menacing that Admiral Dewey
finally lost all patience and conclude ed
| he must bring them TO terms He sent a
| flag officer 10 call on Admiral Won Died
erlchs with a statement that Manila
/ Bay was biockaded, and that he could
| no longer permit German vessels or
any other vessel to run in the bay al
night. Admiral Won Diederichs replied
that he would see that this was com
piled with
Changed His Mind.
HE evidently thought the matte.
over after the American flag officer had
left the Kaiserin Augusta. for within
an hour he sent HIS flag lieutenant to
! call on Admiral Dewey, with = state
ment that he objected to the course of
the Americans In stopping all OF his
| ships as they came In, and that he de-
sired the Americans to cease to over
| haul his vessels
HE said that ne did not object to
! having one of his vessels boarded when
1t first came into the bay, but he did
object to d visit from the boarding
officer when II had been in the bay and
| had gone outside and was returning.
l "
Bay was a blockaded port, and that he
would continue to have all vessels
boarded that he desired, whether on the
| first or hundredth time OF entrance to
the bay. This message from Admiral
Won Frederichs made Admiral Dewey
angry. He had restrained himself
/ through a long period OF time, during
which the Germans had been acting in
manner which he considered as more
! than unfriendly, apd he sent another
and n stronger message to Admiral
Won Diederichs.
- Peace or War.
This message was that Admiral
Dewey presented his compliments to
! Admiral Won Diederichs and he desired
| to know If Germany and the United
| States were at peace or at war. If
Mt peace he desired that the Germans
should pursue different course, and
| that if at war he desired to know IT,
in order that he might take action &C
| cordingly.
That was strong message for one
| admiral TO send another 1t was two
| navel officers, each backed by fleet
! OF powerful war vessels lying within
! guns range of each other, and on the
answer of Admiral Won Diederichs de-
pended tho peace OF two powerful ma
| lions.
admiral Won Diederichs evidently
recognized that Admiral Dewey was
in earnest, and his reply was pacific in
| tone.
| HE said that Germany and the
| United States were at peace; that he
| hoped they would continue to be so.
and that he regretted exceedingly that
| Admiral Dewey had taken exception to
| the action of his ships, and that in
! future there would be no cause for
complaint.
That practically put an end to the
| German incident I'm Manila Bay, and
| it gave to Admiral Dewey another vic
tory. and one which he Is perhaps to
be commended for quite as much as the
one which he won on the first day of
May. 1885,"
VIII Finally Clear Up Incident.
| Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch ]
| Berlin, February 21.-Count Re-
ventlo. commenting on the announce
ment that Admiral Won Dederichs had
! decided to reply to Admiral Dewey
| charges. said tonight:
THE decision is highly gratifying,
for It offers the only possible chance
| OF finally and thoroughly clearing up
the incident. Dewefs incredible mar
rative. portraying the conduct Of Cor
man naval officers In the worst pos
| sible light must not and shall not be
! permitted to gain acceptance as an
| alleged historical fact.
Dewey does not enjoy any too nigh
a place in American esteem. He Is
too self-suflc.ent 1t is incorrect TO
speak OF his utterances as due to q
casual error Of Judgment. His auto
biography is big work. witch has
taken nearly fifteen years OF his life.
He undoubtedly INTENDED it as his
torieal document. That is what makes