The evening times., 1898-12-22
HONORABLE SLEUTHS
IN THE NAVAL SERVICE
Hazardous Exploits of EnSirns
Buck and Ward in the Early
Part OF the Wnr

Two American naval officers performed
during the recent war the dangerous and
delicate duties of secret agents in Spain
and her Atlantic possessions 1t has
been known for some time that this gov
ernment established a secret service in
Spain Immediately upon the outbreak of
the war but it was not until today. when
the appendix to the report of the chief
OF the Bureau of Naviga ton was made
public. that ii was learned that two of
the spies were naval officers. Their work
is thus described by Capt CrowninshieId
ii an explanatory note:
On April so EnSigns ". H. Buck and II II
W ara, Cl duty at the Bureau OF Navigation, left
the country, having volunteered FIR secret ser
wee duty PLANNED by the bureau Both of these
oflceIs were in Disguise and Travelled under as
sumed names and characters. Ensign Buck re-
manned IN Europe, where he followed and report
Ell the movements of the force under Rear AfjIni-
raj Camara, ard Ensign Ward after visiting Ca.
dlz and reporting the strength of the Spanish
naval 1cIoes theFe, went 10 the West Indies
where he was employed until July IS. obtaining
anu reporting information in regard to tho Sra n
Ish forces. lie visited San Juan, Porto Rico in
June and was there seized and detained bv tbe
spanish laval and port authorities lie succeed
ed, however, IN getting the information which
ne sought and in leaving San Juan and csbjinr
ms information 10 tie department.
So far as can be learned the pIan of
procedure under which these two officers
were to operate was simple, and was
drawn up Immediately upon their arrival
| IN England British passports had been
! obtained for them. Mr.. Ward. who as
i an American, is smooth shaven Young
man, allowed his beard to grow, and when
1t was cut in regulation British style his
friends say he became a typical lime
Juicer.' Mr.. Buck also reveled in hirsute
| adornments under his assumed nationali.
| ty..
| 1t was determined that Mr.. Ward Should
| first proceed to Spain and get generally al
! the important facts he could regarding
| the whereabouts of Admiral Cervera's
! fleet, the condition of Camara's squad.
! ron and its destination and the characte,
! of the Spanish defenses. The audacity O.
/ the plan pleased Mr.. Buck, who was t.
! follow and obtain the details, but it dis
| not meet with the views of the depart
! ment, which had no intention of permit
| ting the brilliant young officers to imperi
! their lives; but Mr.. Ward had left Eng
land before he could be caught by cable
BY steamer the young officer proceeded
| to Cadiz, and upon the presentation of hi
passport was permitted to land Tn
American agent used his eyes as he passe,
| into the harbor where Camaras fleet wa
| lying. Some embarrassment was under
| gone as a result of the persistence of sew
eral Englshmen in "mistaking'' him 70
an American and asking him. "How ar
| things going in the States?"
But Mr.. Ward feigned ignorance and in
| sisted he was a British subject. Whethe
they thought him an American or not, n
hint was given to the Spanish authoritie
| of their suspicion, and they aided him i
securing such Information as he was de
sirouS of getting. For thirty-six hour
Mr.. Ward remained in Cadiz and the
went to Gibraltar. where he cabled in ci
pher the Information he had obtained t
a prearranged addressed in LondoT
whence it was cabled to Washington. TIL
Importance of the Information was under
stood when it is known that the depart
| ment on May 20 had cabled Dewey tina
| Camara's squadron was on its way to tn