THE KITCHENER MYSTERY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18231, 15 November 1924, Page 6

THE KITCHENER MYSTERY.

ANOTHER THEORY.

(MOM OUB OWN OOBEBSPOHbIINT.)

SAN FRANCISCO, October 20,

The death of Wd Kitchener was one of the great mysteries of the World War. H.M.S. Hampshire, in which lie was travelling to Russia,'sank from an external explosion shortly after leaving Scapa Flow on June sth, 1016. The real cause of the disaster may never ■ be known, but an article contributed to £'' New York Times" by the Russian General, M. 8. Kommiswov, corroborates rumours of a »«. about Kitchener's mission at the Court of the Czar. The General, who.was head of the Okrana, the Secret Police Department under the Christ regime, was in a position to know what went oiTat "the Court, .and-has- been frequently referred to in the memoirs of eminent contemporaries. . General Kommisarov was . requested by Czar Nicholas to investigate rumours about Lord KitchenerV death wSb were in circulation at Sk Petersbure He learned that the C?ar had been informed by King George ,of Kitoheher's mission in a code known only tothe two Monarchs. One day lunch, ine with General Voieykov, steward of the Household, the Czar drank a considerable quantity of-spirits and spoke of Kitchener's expected arrival. This came to the ears of the Czarina who asked Rasputin, her f aivourlte priest, to remonstrate with the .Czar for drinkine Then Komissarov found that Voieykor had been visited' by Prince MM A who cam© from an impoverished family of Georgia, andhad been educated in Germany. This Prince had no visible means of support until the opening of the -War, when he was known to have plenty of money. Investigation showed that he associated with two Barons who were hanged for espionage. Among the Prince's ™ ltors was a well-known man named Shvedav, who the day after VoieyWs luncheon with the Czar left suddenly for Sweden. Shvedov had previously been wounded in the war and had occupied a room in Princess Orlov's aristocratio Trase hospital, but left there two innocent looking pieces of ribbon which turned out to be the key to a very clever code. Ou his return Shvedov was arrested, and confessed that he had gone to Stockholm to inform the German authorities of Kitchener's expected visit to Russia- Thus through the tipsy Czar and through treachery the Germans knew of Kitchener's secret plans before be left London. The story of General Kommisarov is not inconsistent with any official documents which have been published. Admiral Lord Jellicoe, Commander of the Grand Fleet, wrote in. his memoirs that there was at first doubt in the minds of some people as to whether the loss of the Hampshire was due to a mine or a submarine, but these doubts were set at rest by the sweeping operations which were undertaken as soon as wea&cr permitted. They resulted in the discovery of moored mines of the type laid in southern waters by enemy submarines, these mines Being easily dfctinguishable from those laid by surface vessels.