The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-12 00:00:00

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-013,§ERVER.

OFFICIAL TREACHERY:

ENGLISH GOVERNMENT SECRETS,SOLD.
A correspondent telegrapised from 'Chatham on
Tuesday: " There id but one' taPitfof conversation in
Chatham, namely, the dismissal of an official of the
Dockyard, holding a position of considerable trust,
for imparting information of a confidential character
to representatives of a foreign Government. The
circumstances leading up to this event, so far as I
have been able to ascertain them, are as follows: For
a considerable time past facts have come to the know-
ledge of the Admiralty through the agency of the
naval attaches and the publication of articles in foreign
newspapers to prove that confidential information has
been communicated by some one, and that some one
in a position of trust. The source of the information
was clearly traced to one o two places—either the
Admiralty or Chatham Dockyard—as publicity was
only given to details with which Chatham Dock.
lard was connected. Nothing seems to have been
divulged from any of the other Government establish-
ments. Efforts on the part of the Admiralty and
Dockyard officials to trace the perpetrator of these
breaches of trust always failed, and as a last resource
the aid of the Criminal Investigation Department of
Scotland.yard was invited. What seems to have been
a test plan, made up in the same way as test letters
to detect Post-office robberies, was then resolved upon.
The ideas of some entirely new and original fittings
were submitted to the authorities at Chatsisam, and of
course found their way to the Chief Constructor's
office, and from there to the Chief Draughtsman's
office. The result was that in a very short time the
whole of the supposed confidential facts found their
way to the possession of a gentleman connected
with the American Legation in London. It was
then that the acumen of the representatives of the
Criminal Investigation Department was put to its best
uses, and then, by means of tracing letters and
cheques, they were enabled to make a report to the
Admiralty which gave my lords some foundation to
work on. Prof sssor Eiger, Director of Dockyards,
and another gestleman, supposed to be from the
office of Solicitor to the Treasury, journeyed accord-
ingly to Chatham and were closeted for a considerable
time with the Admiral Superintendent, Rear-Admiral
W. Codrington C. 8., the Civil Assistant, Me. R.
Barnaby, and dr. J. G. Wildish, the Chief Constructor.
After some conversation, Mr. Young Terry, Chief
Draughtsman, was rent for. It being the dinner
hour, he was at home at his house in Rochester-
terrace, whither messengers were despatched for
him. With the remark to his family that it must
be urgent business which required his presence at
that time, Mr. Terry left, and proceeded to the
Dockyard. There he was ushered into the presence
of the gentlemen before-mentioned, and Professor
Eiger at t nce told him what he was accused of. Mr.
Terry was taken completely aback, and could not
answer for a minute or two, during which time the
Director of Dockyards assured him that attempts to
deny the charge would be useless, as they were in
possession of facts and lett, re which proved his com-
plicity in the matter beyond doubt. Mr. Terry then
frankly admitted that he had divulged certain facts,
but he positively denied that he had the slightest
knowledge for what use it was intended. It then
transpired that he had supplied information, which
had been asked of him, to a gentleman in London,
and that he, in turn, had passed it on to a third perty,
by which means it bad reached the American Lega-
tion. Mr. Terry was then suspended from further
duty, and Professor Eiger returned to London.
He came to Chatham again neat morning, returning
to Whitehall in the afternoon of that day. On Tues-
day morning Mr. Terry was sent for, he not having
been inside the dockyard gates since his suspension.
He was then informed by Admiral Codrington that
the Admiralty had ordered his dismissal, and that
their lordships had further directed that that fact
should be made public in the dockyard. Accordingly
the following notice was posted throught the estab-
lishment:

" ' Her Majesty's Dockvard, Chatham ,
" (March 8, 1887.

"Mr. Young Terry, draughtsman, having betrayed
the trust reposed in him by selling information ac-
quired by him in his official capacity, the Lords Corn-
missione, s of the Admiralty have directed that he be
publicly dismissed the service, and he has been dis-
missed accordingly.
(Signed) "Wax. CODRINGTON, Admiral
Superintendent.'
" Mr. Terry is a man 44 years of age, and served
his apprenticeship in Chatham Dockyard. He showed
considerable aptitude in his profession, and was for
some years employed in the superintendence of the
manufacture of steel plates for the Government. He
then returned to Chatham as a draughtsman, and,
being a fairly good linguist, he has often been em-
ployed in conducting foreigners over Chatham Yard,
the principal naval establishment of the country. For
some time he was acting foreman of the yard, and so
much was he thought of that every effort was made
to get him confirmed iu that capacity, but the Ad-
miralty appointed Mr. W. Pearce, from Devon-
port, and Mr. Terry had to go back to
the draughtsman's office. He left Chatham
for Loadon on Tuesday afternoon, his friends
accounting for this by saying he was greatly
in need of rest. It is known that every endea-
vour was made to prevent his dismissal, but the
Admiralty were inexorable. Considerable surprise
is felt that the American Government should ebaea-
your to get hold of secret information in this way,
as the English Admiralty have been very willing to
give them all legitimate assistance in the construc-
tion of ships. Only two months since complete
sections of the formidable turret-ship Ag;ameninon
were sent from Devonport to Washington, in re-
sponse to a request from the American Government.
Strong measures to prevent a recurrence of any-
thing resembling this unfortunate affair will be
taken immediately.