Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-02-23
MANY SECRET MINES.
ENGLkND'S COAST STUDDED WITH
THESE DEFENSE5.

suE hTt 100 ~
e.gn Spies Have often Tried, but
Always In Vain, to solve.
England has the most formidable
navy in the world, but she does not
rely upon il alone in the event of war
TO prevent foreign force from landing
upon her shores. London Tit-Bits, in
nm article on the secret coast dcfenses
Of Great Britain, says:
In the event Of war no alien army
could approach our shore without inn
periling its navy by encountering our
explosive mines scores Of which sur
round our coasts at MI places likely to
be selected for attack by u foreign foe.
The Thames is also carefully shielded
by similar secret mines, one OF these
being in the vicinity Of Blackwell The
precise locality of these mines il, how
ever, for obvious reasons, kept n dark
and inscrutablo mystery, and the APP
proacheB to them arc 80 clcverly con
structed and concealed that no ono save
an expert would suspect their real
character
An innocent looking cellar Mt tho
basement of certain tradesman y shop
il the entrance to ono important mino,
but even the tradesman himself is not
aware that the government rents his
cellar, nor does he ever surmise the truo
nature Of tho operations carried on
therein The mines arc equipped with
explosives OF the most potent kind and
admirably connected with tho secret
chambers on shore by means of electric
wires,
Each mino IL controlled by button,
over which are printed particulars re-
lating to the location and character OF
tho mine. This button il placed in tho
wall Of tho secret chamber and covered
by n double door, securely locked, tho
outer door no closely resembling tho
wall of tho chamber that no ono but
those in the secret could detect itsprcs-
encc. Tho chambers are double locked
and approached by passages protected
in n similar manner.
Every lock and key IL specially mado
for the government and IL unlike any
other Only II few Of the very highest
officials nre allowed to uso these keys,
and they arc olcmnly sworn to preserve
their secret riRidly. No persons apart
from those especially empowered may
inspect or visit any OF tho secret cham
bcrs Mt amy time except by express
written permit personally procured
from certain high oflicinl This Is OK
ceedngly difficult to obtain, and in
fact is rarely ever granted,
Prior to such II permit being issued
the officials assure themselves TINT tho
possessor Of tho document bears II
blnmelcss character, IL British born and
hns no Interior reasons for prcicrring
his request. This settled, he ia sworn
to secrecy in the most solemn manner,
blindfoldod and conducted by u circuit
ous route to tho secret chamber, where
he IL permitted to use his eyes, but not
his tongue, no questions being answer.
cd by the attending officials.
Strange stories have been told of at
tompts made by foreign spies to pcno-
trato tho privacy of these mysterious
mines.
A young lieutenant in tho navy,
whose honorable character won tho con
tidenco OF his superior officers somo
years since, was accorded the privilege
of guarding ono Of these secret mines
and intrustod with certain information
concerning it's character.
soon after his appointment ho became
engaged to II charming young French
lady of whom he was desperately ennm
ored. by some inexplicnble means his
iianceo got to hear of his appointment,
and by alternate threats and persuasion
induced him to take her to see tho No.
cret minc under hs care.
On tho evening arranged, after OK
tracing n solemn vow of secrecy from
his ladylovo and getting her to don the
dress of naval officer for tho occasion,
he was about to set out on his secret
mission when, to his surprise and
alarm, he and his companion wore ar
rested by detectives, In some my sterious
manner the authorities had been on
lightened M to the proceedings on foot
and were in timo to stop them.
For "breach of regulations" the
young lieutenant was subsequently
court martinlod and reduced, while his
charming companion, who proved to be
spy in the employ Of the French gov
ernment, was conveyed back to her own
country, with caustic caution
On another occasion n German gen
tleman contrived to locate tho entrance
to one OF the secret chambers and actu
ally hired u member of the Bill Skies
fraternity to aid him in negotiating the
double locks ono dark November night.
But NO splendidly fitted and fortified
were these appliances both the visitors
were doomed to disappointment Re-
turning from the rendezvous, both the
plotter and his accomplish were arrested
and imprisoned.