The title says it all. In 1898, Britain, Germany, Spain, and the United States,
were all waiting to see who'd be in control of the Philippines. Dewey had defeated the Spanish Asiatic Fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay. Dewey had set up a "line of death," beyond which no British, or German, ship, could pass without being fired on. Britain respected that. Germany didn't. Ships of the
Imperial German Navy were routinely trespassing. So an American Coast Guard cutter opened fire on the German ships. The British respected it.
There was a fear that Spain would turn the Philippines over to Germany.