DEWEY AT MANILA.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16215, 18 May 1918, Page 11

DEWEY AT MANILA.

TO THE EDITOR OK "THE THESS."

Sir, —I must apologise to your gallant correspondent on the above subject. I thought that his iirst letter was based on personal statements, but 1 obviously it was based on clippings ! from the "Xaval and Military lie- I cord."' I havo no desire to see them, but 1 preter Admiral Dewey's autobiography, -which obviously is bused on records made at the time. I havo examined tho autobiography, and "The Press" version is near accurate. There were three British warships in Manila at the time; the Immortalite arrived on May 7th, live days after the Linnet, and tne lphigenia canio later. 'l'ho I'onaventiue may have been there, but Dewey never mentions her, and if Captain Chichestcr had transferred t from the first-class cruiser Immortalite to the second-class cruiser Bonavcnturo, as stated, Dewey would have mentioned her surely. "Tho Times" mentions three British warships only in Manila at the time. The German flagship Irene arrived on May 6th, and the Cormoran on May 9th. * Dewey, referring to them, says:—"Tho Irene steamed in without stopping, and dropped anchor where she chose," Tho Cormoran came in on the night, of May 9th, and was fired on by the Raleigh, who thought she was Spanish. Dewey explained this next, day to the German Admiral. Dewey gives details of movements by the foreign warships, mentioning tho Immortalite and Linnet, and some few days later than June Bth "the" incident occurred.

•Your gallant correspondent says ho did not say that tho flagship fired, and that as an old servico man ho knows better. Flagships do fire at times, but I submit, sir, Mr Chambers's story suggests that the Olympia fired on the Irene while Captain Chichester was on board. 1 quote from your gallant correspondent:—"Admiral Dewey was lying with his fleet to the east of _ tho entrance, when up came the North Pacific Squadron of the Germans, and without 'bv your leave' or 'with your leave/ were going to enter and get alongside the Spanish Fleet inside. At that time Sir E. Chichester was a visitor on board the American flagship, and when tho German cruisor Irene attempted to pass in. Admiral Deivey said to Sir Edward, 'What would you do?' Tho Englishman, in his blunt way, said, 'Fire a shot across his bow.' Whiz! Bang! it went, and soon a steam pinnace was seen coming from tho German flagship." Now may I quote Admiral Dewey's account? "When later tho Cormoran, which was an old offonder, was sighted coming up tho bay, Flag-Lieutenant Brumbv was Eent to make suro that she stopped to report, in keeping with the custom of man-of-wax. When the Cormoran saw tho McCullouch. appreaching, she turned and steamed toward tho northern part .of the bay, f compelling the McCullouch to follow. Brumby first hoisted the international signal: 'I wish to communicate.' No attention was paid io this. Then Brumbv fired a shot across her bows, which had the desired effect. On the following day Vice-Admiral von Diedrichs sent a capable, tactful young officer of his staff to me with a memorandum of grievances. AVhcn I had heard them through I made the most of the occasion by using him as a third person to state candidly and firmly my attitude in a verbal message, which he convoyed to his superior so successfully that Vice-Admiral von Diedrichs was able to understand my point of view." At i'dis time the Irene was in harbour. Now, sir, I suggest to your-gal-lant correspondent that the "Naval and Military .Hccord" is in error, and probably embellished its story, which anyway is second or third hand, and I submit Dewey is more reliable. He was there. T suggest that Mr Chambers put the "N. and M. Record" with the fiction of Major-Gencral Younghusbarnl. My name will convey nothing to Mr Chambers, but you can give it to him. —Yours, etc.. FACTS. NOT FANCY. Mav 16th.