The Florence daily tribune., 1899-02-14
MANY SECRET MINES.
ENGLAND's COAST STUDDED WITH
THESE DEFENSeS.
Their Locality. Approaches and Fir
ing Points Are Mysteries That For
eiGn 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 it alone in the event of war
to prevent foreign force from landing
upon her shores. London Tit-Bits, in
an article on the secret coast defenses
of Great Britain, says:
In the event of war no alien army
could approach our shores without inn
periling its navy by encountering our
explosive mines. scores of which sur
round our coasts at all places likely TO
be selected for attack by 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 is, how
ever. for obvious reasons. kept a dark
and inscrutable mystery. and the APP
proaches TO them are so cleverly con-
structed and concealed that no one save
an expert would suspect their real
character.
An innocent looking cellar at the
basement of certain tradesman shop
is the entrance to one important mine,
aware that the government rents his
cellar, nor does he ever surmise the true
nature of the operations carried on
therein The mines are equipped with
explosives of the most potent kind and
admirably connected with the secret
chambers ON shore by means of electric
wires.
Each mine is controlled by button.
over which are printed particulars re-
lating to the location and character of
the mine. This button is placed in the
wall of the secret chamber and covered
by a double door, securely locked. the
outer door so closely resembling the
wall of the chamber that no one but
those in the secret could detect its pres
ence, The chambers are double locked
and approached by passages protected
in a similar manner
Every lock and key is specially made
for the government and is unlike any
other Only a few of the very highest
officials are allowed to use these keys.
and they are solemnly sworn to preserve
their secret rigidly. No persons apart
from those especially empowered may
beers at any time except by express
written permit personally procured
from certain high official This is ex-
ceedingly difficult to obtain, and in
fact is rarely ever granted.
Prior to such permit being issued
the officials assure themselves that the
possessor of the document bears a
blameless character, is British born and
has no Interior reasons for preferring
his request. This settled he is sworn
to secrecy in the most solemn manner.
blindfolded and conducted by circuit
Gus route to the secret chamber, where
he is permitted to use his eyes, but not
his tongue, no questions being answer
ed by the at. ending officials
Strange stories have been told of at
tempts made by foreign spies to pene-
trate the privacy of these mysterious
mines
A young lieutenant in the navy,
whose honorable character won the con
fidence of his superior officers some
years since, was accorded the privilege
of guarding one of these secret mines
and intrusted with certain information
concerning its character,
Soon after his appointment he became
engaged to charming young French
lady of whom he was desperately enam-
ored. BY so lie inexplicable means his
fiancee got to hear of his appointment,
and by alternate threats and persuasion
induced him to take her to see the Sc
cret mine under his care
On the evening arranged, after ex-
tracing "A solemn vow of secrecy from
his ladylove and getting her to don the
dress of a naval officer for the occasion,
he was about to set out on his secret
mission when. to Ms surprise and
alarm, he and his companion were ar
rested by detectives. In some mysterious
manner the authorities had been en-
lightened as to the proceedings ON foot
and We're in time to stop them.
For breach of regulations the
Young lieutenant was subsequently
court martialed and reduced, while his
charming companion, who proved to be
a spy in the employ of the French gov
eminent, was conveyed back to her own
country. with caustic caution.
On another occasion German gen
tleman contrived to locate the entrance
to one of the secret chambers and actu-
ally hired a member of the Bill Skies
fraternity to aid him in negotiating the
double locks one dark November night
But so splendidly fitted and fortified
were these appliances both the visitors
We're doomed to disappointment, Re
turning from the rendezvous, both the
plotter and his accomplice were arrested
and imprisoned
worth wafrr6g For.