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Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16205, 7 May 1918, Page 6

There died in March at Baden an [ old German admiral, von Diederich, J whoso solo titlo to notoriety is that twenty years ago this month, his conduct threatened to precipitate war between Germany and the United States. TV hen Admiral Dewey, commanding an American squadron, arrived in Manila Bay during tho Spanish-American War, he announced that according to tho rules of naval warfare, warships of neutral Powers ontering tho bay must report to the Americans. Tho Germans, with a disregard for rules of warfare, which has sinco thon become notorious, and having a greater number of warships in the roadstead than the other neutral Powers represented there, Britain and Franco, or than the

Americans, persistently sought to evado

this ruling, and on several occasions friction was caused by their attitude,

particularly when a German cruiser ■ was sent to co-operato with the Spanish i troops at Subig Bay. The trouble, with the Germans was not quite unexpected, for when Admiral Dewey was at Hong Kong, just before leaving for the' Philippines, he 1 was called upon by Princo Henry of Prussia, the Kaiser's brother, then visiting Hong Kong, who, looking hard at Dewey remarked, "I shall send my ships to Manila to see that you behave." "I shall bo delighted to havo you do so," replied the Amorican, "but permit mo to caution you to keep your ships from between my guns and the enemy." In his attitude at Manila Dewey was strongly supported by Admiral Chichester, commanding tho British squadron, and on one occasion, when matters were more threatening than usual, von Diederich went so far as to ask tho British Admiral what his attitude would bo if an. actual break occurred between the Germans and Americans. "That, my dear Diederich, ia known only to Admiral Dewey and myself," is reported to havo been Ghichestcr's reply. The climax was reached when a German ship, which not only disobeyed tho order to report, but ostentatiously evaded an American vessel's signal to speak to her, was brought to by a shot being fired across her bows. In tho conversation which took placo next day between and j one of von Diederich's officers, it was mado so plain to the latter that Dewey was prepared to go to the length of provoking war with Germany in the maintenance of his rights that tho Germans committed no further breach of tho blockade. Doubtless, in deciding to accept the situation Admiral von Diederich was partly influenced by the action of Admiral Chichester, who had brought up his ships and anchored them alongside the American squadron.

It was just by chnnce that the Philipj pines fell into tho hands of the United States and not into those of Germany. Shortly before ho died Admiral Dewey camo into possession of indisputable) proof that Germany had arranged to purchaso tho Philippine group from Spain, and that the bargain had been concluded except for the final signatures when the Spanish-American War broke out. Von Dicdcrich had been sent to Manila to take charge of the islands, of which ho was to be Gover-

nor. Dewey had never until then been able to understand the reason for tho studied insult offered to him by -the German commander, and it was not until after America entered the present war that these facts were made public.