TRAP FOR SPIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 5

TRAP FOR SPIES.

FOREIGN AGENT'S RUSE. TEMPTING BRITISH SUBJECTS. Scotland Yard has received information of what appears to bo a peculiarly subtle attempt to seduco Englishmen into acts of espionage in regard to tho defences of their own country. In February an advertisement appeared in certain English newspapers, states the London "Daily Mail," asking for a man well known in shipping circles "for a newly manufactured article interesting to seafaring men and officers." It was added that ho need not have experience. The applicant was to write to a name given, at a hotel (also stated) in Copenhagen. The Tempter's Offer. The advertisement was replied to by a. retired shipmaster resident in London. In response ho received a typewritten reply an a plain sheet of foreign notcpaper of which the following is a summary:— Copenhagen, Feb. 17,1913. Sir,—l duly received your offer in reply to my advertisement in, the paper. I should like to tell you that- I feel inclined to enter into business with you and to entrust you a share in my agency. I am represeutant of an important Danish-Rus-sian house for the issue of military works. Just now this firm is about to issue a new work describing the present stand of the navies of all nations. This book is very interesting nnd of general importance. Ao doubt it will go off quickly, especially in the naval circles, owing to its contents and to its compnrtively very low price. ... It is sufficient for you to recommend this most excellent book. Bo so kind as to explain as precisely as possible your connections with officers, petty officers, and functionaries of tho dockyards. Apart from tins, the hojtso also requires a collaborator for ■ articles referring to the English Navy I need not mention that theso articles will be very well paid. You may also join in the collaboration without being bound to place the work in question. If you should not be able yourself to take the collaboration in hand, I should be very pleased aud hand you a good recompense if you could secure mo tho acquaintance of any naval man. who would undertake it. I shall state further particulars directly after having received an affirmative and' satisfying answer.—Yours truly,.

' Hotel — , Copenhagen. Shipmaster's Reply. The British shipmaster, anxious to extract further information, replied that he had mauy old friends among shipping people, but that it would require a considerable amount of money to "salt the ground." He asked what remuneration he might expect for undertaking the sole agency for the* book 'in London. In reply, tho British shipmaster received a letter bearing the Danish postmark -on tho envelope, hut no address on the letter itself." It was signed, in pencil, with the i.vne jams as before. Here is n. summary of it: "The publication of the work in question must' bo postponed for some time, because several novelties and moclorn inventions are still missing. . . . Please give me small reports about the cncloscd points, which I need to know in order to bo able to edit a perfectly modern issue. Of course, it is necessary that the contents of your articles bp-a little more explicit than that of tho many English papers which my firm in St. Petersburg has subscribed to. Tho more thorough, detailed, and interesting your reports aro the better you will be paid. "I fix terms according to the contents of each article. But you may bo suro that no difference of opinion will arise between us on this point. I shall pay generously, because my employers arc perfectly solvent, and immediately faiUr having rccoived the first article I pay even if this article should fall short of my expectations. So you do not risk anything. "I understand that it would take a cer-, tain sum to interest yotir friends and renew your old acquaintainship. But you may bo sure that you shall get the necessary •means for ''salting the ground' by my excellent payment for your articles. ...

A Monthly Salary. "If I should perfectly be satisfied by your first articles aud your method of managing affairs of this kind I should agree also with a monthly salary as lone as you undertake my agency. Of course, the employment would be likely to continue for a long time. So you should have the best opportunity to earn much money in a very easy manner. "If in the future you get some articles which vou should not be able to write yourself I should thank j-ou very much if you could bring me iu touch_ with a second collaborator—who can furnish such articles. If you could arrange the acquaintance with a naval officer or a functionary of the naval dockyard who feels inclined to collaborate to my work I should pay the sum. of .£'lo immediately after having received the first article. "I will be pleased to hear from rou soon.—Your truly, " ■" The Information Wanted. The "points" on which information was desired were set out in the. following typewritten sheet:—. What do you know about: (1) Number dimensions, situation of the docks (sketch). (2) Dockyards and their working. (3). Number aud situation of "] wast fort?. (i) Number and situation of | In your wireless telegraph sta-'j neightions. bourhood (5) Number and situation of I coastguard -stations. J (G) Number and name of ihe men -.of war stationed at the harbour.' (7) Number of .the men bring iu the > barracks. (8) Number of the troops begging to t.he garrison (Regular Forces, Special Reserve, and Territorials). . clear in his mind by this time as to what was wanted and for what purpose, the British shipmaster reported the matter to the authorities at Scoland Yard, and, so far as he was concerned, it ended there. But other people saw the advertisement. It may be that one or two either succumbed to the temptation or fell into the elcroriy-laid trap. '