ABYSSINIA'S ARSENAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1902, 10 November 1913, Page 10

ABYSSINIA'S ARSENAL.

QUEER STORY OF A BIRMINGHAM ARMOURER.

A curious story which is not without a moral for the Intelligence Department of tho War Offiro Las recently readied "Truth.", The narrator is an armourer, who, after twelve years'' left the Army and settled down -in civil life in Birmingham. At tho end of September, 1912,. : h& saw' an advertisement in the press for 0.11 armourer. Ho jfeplksd to it, iind as a result- ho was asked to call at tiro office of a -Birmingham accountant. This gentleman explained that ho had advertised oil behalf of an unnamed principal, to.whom the applicant's testimonials would and in the event of their proving Satisfactory an appointment would _bo made for a personal interview with this gentleman. Aftei" some delay the interview was arranged by telegram, and took place at a Birmingham hotel. The principal, -disclosed liis identity, and this interview was'SHc'ceederl by others, iii which the principal made it clear that ho was engaged in obtaining the necessary machinery and staff for establishing an arsenal. At first' t'lio armourer was not informed where tlio establishment was to be situated, tat at last the information was supplied to him that it was in Abyssinia, and ho was furnished with an agreement which lie signed, and which, ordered him-to proceed to Addis Abebo to continue his work, ; After signing this agreement.and receiving £10 towards the expenses of his ; journey, the armourer began to feel sOtfio qualms as -to the nature of the business. As an old sold-ier s not relishing the idea -o ; f being employed in preparing weapons which might- possibly bis used against -fold comrades, ho determined to ask an explanation of his employer. JIo did so in tho street, whereupon that gentleman left him somewhat abruptly and has not, communicated with him since. . . The armourer conceived it Jus duty to inform the authorities of his experiences aiid hi s -suspicions. Dfe ettnromucated both by let-tor and telegram with the War Office, with his late commanding officer, and ivith other officials, Pho result of these cotoiTJumcaiiotis trastha't h© received s< visit .frwu a, police officer* who informed him that if no continued to' worry overworked officials with nonsensical stories' ho Would stand a good chanco of being sent to an asylum. "Thero is this much to be said far tlie official attitude," cont'Mies ' . Tffitb,. *'tho armourer undoubtedly imagined that ho had obtained possession ol information of immense vnhie to tli.o conntryf and I judge, too, '?;■& better mechanic than letter writer. ■useful information leaks out front unexpected sources occasionally, and it does hanneii to be the fact that since> tho date fi-hen the pri&cmal left- forAbyssbia. the Mad Mullah lias shown himself to bo well furnished with arms and ammoinitioft.