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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2715, 9 March 1916, Page 3

Admiral Ernest Troubridge, who was reported to be dangerously wounded in tils defence of Nish, ill Serbia, is tha officer who was in command of one of the cruiser squadrons of the Mediterranean fleet at the outbreak of the war. He was relieved and summoned home in order to appear before a court of inquiry at .Portsmouth, presided over by' Admiral of the Fleet Sir Hedworth Mcux, on a charge'.of having allowed tho German cruisers Breslati and Goeben to escape from the Bay of Messina, tvhere they were blockaded, and to reach in safety Constantinople. He was cleared when it was developed that if he had permitted the German warBhips to steam out of the Bay cf Messina, it was because he had received the most peremptory wireless' orders by means of the British Admiralty secret code to allow them to pass-out of tho bay without let or hindrance. It was too late that Admiral Troubridge ascer. tained that tho wireless orders were of a bogus character, and had originated with a German who, through soma treachery, had obtained possession of tlis British Admiralty secret code. The latter was supposed to be so carefully guarded that Troubridge could have had no idea that the Germahs had obtained access thereto, and there was not time to send home in order to havo the instructions verified.