A WIRELESS HERO
COURAGE AND RESOURCE IN A! TIGHT PLACE. In the British Prize Court recently, before the President, Sir Samuel Evans, the Crown applied for condemnation as lawful prize of the steamship Edna on the alternative grounds of unneutral service and enemy owner-
,The Attorney-General (Sir Frederick Smith, K.C.) read an interesting affidavit made by the wireless operator of the steamer, Mr. Guy Duncan Smith, now flight sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Air Service, who stated that his home was in San Francisco. He was twenty-one years of age, and was on the Mazatlan (originally Edna) when the war broke out. While at sea he awoke at midnight and put the wireless receiver to his ear. He heard the Pacific mail steamer Aztec announce that'war had been declared between Russia and Germany. At this time the ship had "Hamburg" painted on the stern. The word "Hamburg was at onco lemoved from the vessel, and "La Paz" was painted in, .whilst the Mexican flag was run up. Before leaving San Francisco he had heard that the coal they carried was intended for the Leipzig, and told hisfather. As a result information was conveyed to the British Consul, and the authorities at San Francisco then demanded a bond that the coal would not be delivered to the German cruiser. Before the ship finally sailed a German wireless operator was taken on board, and Smith was told that if he refused to do his duty the German would take his place/ The German operator, however, did not understand the Marconi system, being used to a German wireless, and this being the case, Smith shortened the length of the sound waves, with the result that though he appeared to be sending out calls for the Leipzig no ship could pick up the message. On one_ occasion the captain, one Jebsen—said to have been an officer in the German Reserve —told him to get in touch with the Leipzig, and gave him the code call D. A. N. S. ' Smith told him he was a British subject, and refused, whereupon the. German wireless operator was put into the wireless room. Before lie arrived, however, Smith had swretly put the circuit out of tune and altered the wave lengths, so that though sparks showed in tho wireless room nothing would radiate from the aerial. The German operator spent three nights and three days trying to call up the Leipzig. Smith was later replaced, and then occasionally called-up the German cruiser, having put the wireless right, in order to allay suspicions, but the wireless was always put out of gear when the German operator tried to use it. At La PazSmith forwarded a message to the Admiral on the U.S.A. cruiser California. Captain Zur Hello, who was - on the Mazatlan, transferred to the Leipzig, and went down with her in the battle off tho Falkland Islands. Mr. Smith stated that some of the officers threatened to shoot him and throw him overboard if he did not send a code message to the German cruiser, and he then pretended to send it. Tho captain, thinking the message had been sent, tore it up and_ threw it overhoard. A similar incident occurred at a later date, but the only thing Smith sent to the Leipzig was an inquiry as to where she was, which brought forth a reply that she was hanging around waiting for the Mazatlan. Finally the Mazatlan was commandeered by tho Mexican Government, who put an officer on board. , Cricketers, tennis players, tM other summer sport indulgcnts will become less fatigued if they drink KOIAJvIP-iNV ture's best beverage. Renows vitality, creates viuour and vim. Hotels and stores.—Advt.
Mr. William Beck, a resident of Palmcrßton North for the past thirty-five years, is dead. He was born in Victoria, and came to New Zealand in 1862 in'tlio ship Lightning, from Melbourne, landing in Dunedin. Ho camo on to Wellington, where' he learned tho aerated water business with the late Mr. George Dixon, and afterwards wont to Nelson, where ho managed Mr. Dixon's business for some time. Ho ultimately- returned to Wellington and negotiated the purchase of an aerated water business in Palmerston North, which he-took over in 18S3. Ho was an ardent Freemason, a prominent member of the Loyal Oddfellows' Lodge, 'and a Justice of the Peaco, and was for some years president of the Paltnerslon Bowling Club, iti whoso progress ho took an intimate interest. All parents are hereby cordially requested to encourage Stationers and Storekeepers to push the sale of "Thinkor" Brand Writing Tablets and "Thinker" School Exercise Books for tho nation's good—Baiinatyue and Hunter, Ltd., wholesale agents for the "Thinker." -Advt.
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 122, 9 February 1918, Page 8
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777A WIRELESS HERO Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 122, 9 February 1918, Page 8
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