Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 September 1898 — DEWEY WOULD FIGHT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DEWEY WOULD FIGHT

HE SO TOLD THE GERMANS AT MANILA BAY. Plucky American Admiral Advised Meddlesome German* .that If They Wanted to Try Conclnsiona They Would Be Accommodated. Shameful Proceedings. Few realize the difficulties with which Admiral Dewey had to contend in the Philippines since the sinking of the Spanish fleet. Indeed, that feat was the least difficult of his many labors, says a correspondent of the New York Sun, writing prior to the capture of Manila. His chief trouble was occasioned by the Germans. The latter seemed to take special delight in violating moral proprieties and disregarding Admiral Dewey’s regulations. Admiral Dewey had ordered that there should be.no movement of ships or boats about the bay at night without his knowledge and permission. That was necessary to an effective blockade, and in order to be legal, a blockade must be effective. The Germans began at once to disregard the regulation. They sent launches about after sundown as if there had been no such regulations. The launches were stopped by our patrol boats and some of them were turned back. The result was friction between the two admirals. Von Diedrichs protested. Dewey replied that his regulation must be observed. ’ The Germans kept up their work and Dewey’s ships have watched the Germans at night with their searchlights. It is particularly offensive to one warship to be the target lor another’s searchlight, but that has happened to the Germans several times as.the wheeling American lights examined the bay to see what

was going on. Von Diedrichs did not like it. Dewey sent word that he regretted she necessity of such work, but he was compelled to keep informed of what went on in the bay at night. He intimated that the Germans were acting as if they thought that they were blockading Manila instead of the Americans. It is quite within his right as the blockadcr to do this, but Von Diedrichs protested. The German admiral twisted Dewey’s contention and construed it as a claim of the right of search. Dewey Willing to Fight. Matters kept getting worse. German launches were stopped and sent to their ships. Permission to move in the night time was refused on some occasions, and finally Admiral Dewey took occasion to say to the German flag lieutenant that certain things meant war and the Germans were approaching dangerously near them. Then he added in substance that if the Germans wanted war they could have it now or at any other time, here or at any other place. In reply to this Von Diedrichs took a pacificatory tone and disavowed any intention of violating proper usages or the American admiral’s blockade regulations. Then came the Subig bay incident. The insurgents were attacking Isla de Grande. They had captured a steamer from the Spanish and they sent her down to Subig with men. She came back one afternoon and reported to Dewey that the cruiser Irene had prevented her from attacking Grande Island and had forced her to haul down her insurgent flag and raise a white one. Dewey sent the Raleigh and Concord there at once. They went in and cleared for action at 8:15 the next morning, ready for what might come, German or otherwise. As they went in on one side of the island, the Irene came out on the other at full steam. The two American ships took the island with 623 prisoners, nearly all Spanish soldiers, and 600 rifles, with an immense quantity of ammunition. When the Ireije came back the McCulloch spoke, but did not stop her. This brought a protest from both sides. Von Diedrichs objected to the hauling up of his ships. Dewey declared that the Germans were lending aid and comfort to our enemies, thereby making themselves openly Spain’s allies. He sent a message to the German admiral, the substance of which was: “Is there peace or war between our countries? If there is war I want to know it. If there is peace I want you to change your course. The way to make war is to clear up ship and go at it.’’ Von Diedrichs replied with an apology and then as if repenting he wrote to Admiral Dewey a note in which he misconstrued Dewey’s contention about right to speak incoming ships, and said he would lay the matter before commanders-in-chief now in the harbor. Since then Dewey has heard nothing from him, but he has heard what happened when Von Diedrichs called on Capt. Chichester of the Immortalite, the senior officer of the English squadron. The Englishman showed the German bis instructions, by which he was ordered to do what Dewey had been contending that the Germans should do. There was not much ground left for Von Diedrichs after that.

JAPAN AFTE? THE EADRONES. Hopes to Purchase the Islands When Pence Is Restored. Steamer advices state that Japanese diplomats are watching with great interest the development ot peace between the Unitedjitates and Spain. Late Japanese newspapers agree that that country should buy the Ladroqe Islands, either from the.pnited States or Spain. Japan is reaching out in every way to develop her fisheries, and it is with this idea in view that the Ladrones are being considered.

VNCLB SAM WILL BE KXADY.

Xu Case of Hitch in Ponce Negotiations with Spain. Washington special: The order of the Navy Department for the drydocking and repairs of the big ships in Admiral Sampson’s fleet indicates that this Government will not be caught napping either by Spain or by any other nation which may seek to interfere with the accomplishment of its aims. It is the intention of the department to put all the fighting vessels of the navy in the very best possible shape during the existence of the armistice. In the event that Great Britain should remaih firm in her refusal to allow the ships of Admiral Dewey’s fleet to dock at Hong Kong, arrangements will very likely be made to send a floating dock to the Philippines. This will certainly be done if Admiral Dewey recommends it. The Navy Department will also see to it that all the ships of the navy are provided with smokeless powder during the armistice. While the ships are at the navy yards undergoing needed repairs the sailors who served their guns so gallantly at Santiago are to be given liberal shore leaves to compensate them for the hard service they have rendered. Some of them have not had any shore leave for seven months. The War Department will take equal care to do everything possible to increase the efficiency of the land forces during the armistice. The troops in the field will be reduced, probably to 100,000. With only this number of soldiers to look after the War Department will be able to take care of all their wants promptly. They will all bearmed with the Krag-Jorgensen rifles, and target practice will be taken up in all the camps. If Spain should conclude to continue the war after the peace commission has finished its work, or if any of the powers of Europe should attempt to interfere with the administration’s policy in the Philippines, the United States will be found in splendid shape to cope with the emergency. It is not expected, however, that there will be any more fighting and the measures to be taken by the War and Navy Departments are purely precautionary. The administration is pleased with the condition of affairs in Porto Rico, where the Spanish commander, Gen. Macias, is showing a friendly spirit in co-operating with the Americans in making ready for the evacuation. AWFUL SUFFERING IN HAVANA. Condition of Things There Reported as Horrible. Reports from Havana picture the condition of things there as horrible. Provisions and other necessaries of life are very scarce, and prices continue high. The colonial government imposed the highest customs duties, which continue in force, making prices high and rendering the situation of the poor very painful. The free kitchens which have been established in Havana daily furnish about 30,000 persons with food, but owing to the great number of poor in the city who are without food of any sort, the amount of supplies handled by these kitchens is quite insufficient to relieve the distress to any great extent. Women and children lie about the streets, pale and emaciated, and looking more like corpses than living beings. FAVORS CESSION OF JAMAICA. Neville Lubbock Thinks Island Should Belong to America. Neville Lubbock, who was the expert adviser of the British delegates upon the occasion of the Brussels conference upon the question of sugar bounties, was interviewed in reference to the proposed action by the Jamaicans to petition the Queen for the cession of the island of Jamaica to the United States. Mr. Lubbock said that in his opinion the cession of the island to America would be of immense advantage to the people of the island. Almost all the products of the island, with the exception of rum, went to the United States, and there was a feeling that the British West Indies colonies had been shamefully treated by the mother country. SAMPSON CORRECTS GARCIA. Denies that Cervera Surrendered to the Cubans. Admiral Sampson said concerning the report that Garcia claims that Cervera surrendered to the Cubans and was turned pver to the navy, that it could not be true. There were no Cubans about, except a few on shore. These few employed themselves by shooting at the defenseless Spaniards. It is questionable if the Spaniards would have escaped alive, the admiral said, if it had not been for the American sailors. The admiral says Cervera was taken off his flagship by the Gloucester, and was afterward taken aboard the lowa. JAUDENES FORGOT TO SIGN. . Spanish Commander at Manila Was C. ZI Probably Excited. The Spanish cabinet examined the terms of the capitulation of Manila as cabled by Gen. Tejeiro. They appear to apply to Manila only. The question of the repatriation of the Spanish troops is left to the decision of the American Government. Gen. Jaudenes, who succeeded Gen. Augusti in the military command at Manila, it was stated, had npt sent a dispatch to the Government.' The latest explanation of this is that the dispatch of Tejeiro really was sent by Jaudenes, but that the latter forgot to affix his Signature.

WAR COST SPAIN $600,009,000. Must Pay $10,000,000 More to Bring Her Troops Rome. A dispatch from Madrid says that the repatriation of all the Spanish troops in the Antilles will cost 50,000,000 pesetas ($10,000,000). The total cost of the war has been 3,000,000,000 pesetas ($600,000,-. 000). The collection of $10,000,000 in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines toward the support of the army will shortly be attempted. First Volunteer of the War. Prescott, Ariz., claims that it furnished the first volunteer in the present war, and that from that place the first company started to the front. The volunteer was Capt. O’Neill of the rough riders, and a monument to his memory is to be erected on the court house plaza of Prescott, Montoro la Dismissed. Gen. Montoro, captain general of the Canary Islands, has been dismissed by the Government on the ground that he condemned the conclusion of peace and incited his own troops to ra v *‘ s.

VICE-ADMIRAL VON DIEDRICHS.