The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-09-01
Famous Incident Being Re-
called.

A writer in Worlds Work recalls a
notable incident of the Spanish-Ameri-
can War which may have escaped the
memory of most Americans. It's repub-
ication seems timely in view of the
present somewhat strained relations be
tween Germany and the United States
The article is in part as follows:
EARLY in May, 1899. Admiral Dewey's
fleet sailed in'o Manila Bay. beat the
Spaniards, and established a blockade
Soon afterwards two English cruisers,
a French cruiser, and JapeneSe cruiser
appeared and willingly complied with
the very reasonable regulations that the
Admiral laid down to them. A day or
two later German cruiser, the Irene,
app ared. She ignored the American
flagship and dropped anchor where she
chose. Admiral Dewey overlooked the
incident as due to careleSsneSs or ignor
ance. Next morning another German
ship, the Cormoran, arrived. A launch
was sent TO hail her and was ignored. A
shot was fired across her bow, for ii was
feared that she might be a disguised
Spanish ship. Then she came TO and
was boarded. Two days later on May
18th, Admiral Won Diederich arrived in
his flagship. the Kaiserin Augusta.
By the middle of June there were five
German warships in port, two of them
with heavier displacement than any Of
the American vessels. 1t was, as Ad
;.ol Do,ro, .oco,ds m apv;ouS Tina
owing to the possible arrival of another
Spanish fleet from Spain, and meanwhile
the impertinence of the Germans in
creased.
Finally, without Admiral Dewey
permission, the Germans landed men at
Mar, e!es Harbor for drill and took pos
session of the quarantine station at the
mouth of the bay. On July 9th Admiral
Dewey was told by Filipino insurgents
that the Germans had been interfering
at Subig Bay, with their operations
against the Spainards. Admiral Dewey
sent two vessels TO investigate. 1t was
found that the German cruiser had visit
ed the Spaniards and had kept the in
surgents from using a small steamer
| which belonged TO them. No Germans
we're actually fighting. The situation,
however, was not pleasant and Admiral
Dewey took the occasion of the news OF
Santiago TO visit Won Diederich and lay
before him his position. The main
trouble was Won Diederich's refusal to
admit that the Americans had the right
as bloc &aders to visit and board all YES
sells, including foreign warships entering
the bay. The German admiral said that
he would submit the point-all authori-
ties on international law recognize that
Admiral Dewey's position was sound
to conference of the senior officers oi
all the men-of- war in the harbor. Only
Captain Chichester, the British com
mander. turned up. He supported Ad'
miral Dewey and said that he had in
structions to comply with even strictel
regulations than the Admiral had laid
down. After the German cruiser Cor
moran had been again brought up by s
shot across her bow, Diederich capitu
lated, sent an apologetic emissary to hi:
American colleague, and behaved him
self for the rest of his stay
The incident, Worlds Work says, il
fully described in Admiral Dewey
autobiography. 1t throws a somewha
interesting side light on the German
official and military attitude toward tht
United States.