TRICKBD THE GERMANS.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 June 1919, Page 7

TRICKBD THE GERMANS.

WIRELESS OPERATOR ’S EXPLOIT.

The story :has just come to light of how a young Englishman serving as a wireless operator with the American Ma.rooni Company, caused a German warship to go without coal ‘in the early days of the war. The Vessel was the American steamship Edna, but" she appears to have been afterwards called the Mazetlan. The Marconi operator was Guy Duncan Smith. In the guise of a Mexican vessel, the ship just after war had been declared between Russia and Germany, made San Francisco, and took on board -a cargo of coal. Smith was suspicious, and before leaving port discovered that the coal was intended for the German light cruiser Leipzig. Alsop. before the Mazatlan weighed anchor, Smith was astonlished to learn that a. German wireless operator mas '.[,o be %taken on board, and was informed that if he refused duty the ‘Teu-ton would take his place! He iiound -that the Garman did not understand the Marconi system, but was asquainted only with the German “Telefunken” bnamid. G ‘ - Smith decided that no messages of his should assist the Germans. EH-e shortened the length of the -Sound waves, [and '9“-hocusse-d” .the enemy into the belief that he was sending out calls for the Leipzig. ‘ But one day the captain ‘ordered him to get into direct touch with the Leipzig, and "gave him the code word “Dans.” Smith refused. The German operator was sent for, but before he could arrive Smith had short—circuited the “tone” of the wireless and the wave length was altered. Sparks were seen in the wireless room, but nothing radiated from the aerial. ~ The Telefunken operator was puzzled. For three days and -three nights he tried to call tlle)Leipzig_, but in vain. The captain was compelled to reinstate

Smith, and with shrewd foresight the letter made a great show of calling up the Leipzig. He called her for hours an end, but he took equal eare to get his messages “cross purpesed.” When the vessel reached La Paz, Smith sent a. very interesting message to the Ad—miral of the United Sfvatcs shifv California. The sequel will be heard in the American courts, before which an indictment against the master of the Mazetlan is cited.