CENSORSHIP EVADED
NEWS SENT TO AMERICA ATTACK ON CRUISER LONDON, Nov. 26. The Controller of Censorship, Sir Walter Monckton, has ordered an inquiry into an alleged leakage of naval information to America, revealing that the cruiser Belfast was holed by a mine or a torpedo in the Filth of Forth on Tuesday.
The incident was known in London the same day, but the censor banned mention of it in cablegrams to, or telephone conversation with, foreign countries, because it might convey valuable information to the enemy. Nevertheless the incident was announced in New York later, thus indicating that the censor-ship precautions were not watertight. The Germans claimed damage to the Belfast after the news was known in New York.
One theory is that an American may have telephoned the story to a colleague in Northern Ireland. Such a message, being technically within the country would not be subject to censorship. The colleague would then cross to Eire and cable the message to New York, because the British censorship does not operate in Eire.
Another theory is that some neutral may be using a code, consisting apparently of harmless observations, to transmit news which would otherwise be censored.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20116, 9 December 1939, Page 14
Word Count
197CENSORSHIP EVADED Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20116, 9 December 1939, Page 14
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