The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-09

s"iilollS tie refugees Wnlle OH DOarC l your ships"
 That's exaggeration." he answer cd. | As l told you, about 2,O00 were sent ! to Galveston. Along about May 8 some who were on the ships wanted to 1 go back to Tampico. l refused to let | them. The Mexicans believed there was war with the United States. The rebels were attacking again, and the l capture of the town was liable to hap | pen any day. English, French and German ships were crowded with their | refugees ,and in no case was per- | mission being given to land. I talk | ed the whole matter over with the Americans, and at the close of the conference, they agreed that my po- sition was wise and proper" How did they feel about interven- | ton, Admiral Mayo?"
 We'll" he said. Never mind my personal opinion, here is what Mr. | Miller, the American Consul, thought about it. Thum ping over the pages of his report, he found the following message from the official who has been charged with being most bitter over the attitude of President Wilson: "A war of American intervention would be a great calamity. All oth- CT nations will stand to reap all the advantages. Whatever the result might be, our country would bear all the expense and reap the crop of re- sulting hatred and vengeance. Ameri- cans will be unable for many years to work in the outlying districts in the oil fields and other parts of Mex ico.'
 'Tampico fell on May 13," he con- tinued. T sailed up the river on the 14th, and had a conference with Gen. era1 Gonzales concerning the rights of foreign citizens All saloons were closed and everything was quiet and orderly. As result of our very sat isfactory interview, Americans came in an conditions gradually returned to normal. That, sir, is the whole story of the Tampico incident"
 So much for the testimony of Ad- miral Mayo. Now for the story of Admiral Fletcher. I found him in Washington in the office of the Gener- al Board. man of few words, steady of eye and fairly oozing a sense of competency.
 When I got the order to seize the custom house at Vera Cruz" he said, 'I had the two dreadnoughts, Florida and Utah, and the transport Prairie.
 Admiral Badger, in command of the Atlantic squadron, and headed for Tampico, was about 200 miles away. Getting in touch with him by wireless, gave it as my opinion that Vera Cruz was now the centre of operations and suggested that he rhange his des- tination from Tampico to Vera Cruz.
 "He approved. Dispatching, his three divisions of destroyers to Tam pico he came to Vera Cruz with his battle ships.
 Admiral Mayo, after receiving or ders to leave Tampico, advised me that he thought it best to remain, and backed up his own opinion with a protest from the American consul. I sent back word approving his recom-' mendation, and directed him to re- tain the Connecticut, Dolphin, Des Moines, Cyclops and Solace for the protection of American and foreign lives"
 Did you take up these matters with Secretary Daniels?" I asked.
 "I immediately informed the De- partment of my action in directing ships to remain at Tampico to protect Americans and foreigners and this met with the approval of the Department" he replied. ''The expected order to seize the custom house came at o'clock on the morning of April 21. The German steamer Ypiranga, loaded with arms for the Huerta government was only few hours away. A north CT was blowing up that looked like it might preclude landing. So decided on instant action, without waiting either for Admiral Badger or the Chester and San Francisco.
 At 11:30 landing party took pos session of the custom house, and an hour later. the Ypiranga steamed up to find that she must either deliver cargo into our hands. or else leave port.
 'At g o'clock that night, the Ches- ter and San Francisco came into the harbor and we landed their battalions of seamen and marines. Shortly after midnight, Admiral Badger arrived. and he sent on shore the seamen and marine battalions from the Arkansas, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Michigan and New Jersey.
 During the day of the 22nd, the Hancock, Louisiana, Minnesota and Michigan came up and landed forces had a force of 5000 blue Jackets on shore and by noon the town was en- tirely under our control, with order restored"
 "Tel1 me, Admiral Fletcher" ask ed. ITS TT TRUE THAT YOU RE- CEIVED AN ORDER TO DESTROY NO BUILDINGS, AND THAT TT WAS BECAUSE OF THE PROTECTION THAT THIS ORDER GAVE TO SNIPERS THAT YOU SUFFERED THE LOSS OF NINETEEN LIVES?"
 NO. MY ONE ORDER WAS TO SEIZE THE CUSTOM HOUSE AT VERA CRUZ. A BOMBARDMENT| AT THAT TIME WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION BECAUSE THERE WERE TREATIES AND NON-COM- BATANTS TO BE CONSIDERED AND THE TIME ELEMENT DID NOT PERMIT OF DELAY. THE CHESTER AND SAN FRANCISCO AND PRAIRIE, LYING IN CLOSE. FIRED ONLY ON THE BUILDINGS THAT HARBORED SNIPERS.'
 The Duchess of Manchester sailed for England on the American liner