The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-30
$25,OOO, 900 FOR SECRETS.

One of the most unpleasant duties OF
Parliament is the voting every year of
sum of money for secret service. Ev-
cry one knows that 1t is to be used to
bribe traitors and reward spies. and
there Is nothing an Englshman 30
much detests as a traitor or spy, even
when he is working for our own gov
ernment.
Consequently our secret service fund
is probably the smallest in the world
Last year IL amounted TO only G13OOO
and not very much bribery can be eff
fected with that. But some years ago IL
was three or four times that sum. and
some authorities appear TO. hold the
opinion that, the interests OF the state
would be better served IL IL amounted
10 100000, instead of G13000, says the
London Mail
The spending OF this money Is one OF
those few secrets which are really kept
t'arhament votes the money. Ii Is paid
into the treasury. Then permission is
given TO the secretary for foreign af-
fairs. the secretary for the colonies. the
home secretary and the Irish secretary
TO draw on IL as they require IL, each
being allowed certain fixed fraction
OF the whole amount.
Suppose our ambassador In Russia
suspects that certain preparations are
being made TO seize a Persian or Chi
nese port. and he wants TO get some Sc
cret information, he draws whatever
sum is necessary TO pay 10 a spy. but
no one except himself knows TO whom
he pays IL.
Many Nj. P.'s have objected To the
public money being spent i'm this way
and year after year they try to obtain
Information as 10 whom VI Is paid. But,
of course, 10 make the names public
would render the fund perfectly USE
less.
But the most suspicious taxpayer
may be assured that the money is
properly spent. AS "A matter of fact, not
much more than half of the money is
even expended. the balance being re-
turned TO the exchequer. Moreover, the
secretaries OF the state are under oath
to spend the money honestly. When
secretary OF state is allotted his share
he has 10 take the following oath before
a commissioner:
II swear that the money paid 10 me
for foreign secret service. or for de-
tectlng. preventing and defeating con-
spiracies against the state, has been
bona fde applied to the said purpose
and no other"
The reason this oath has to be taken
is that at one time IL was suspected
that the secret service money was being
used for electioneering purposes and for
pensioning government favorites.
At present most Of the money is
spent by our ambassadors I'm foreign
countries. In order 10 know what kind
of foe she may have 60 meet. Great
Britain must be mace acquainted with
the details OF foreign armies. the power
and range of their guns. their new In
ventions I'm powder. shells. torpedoes
submarien boats and the like. The
country must also know what are the
intentions OF other countries toward
her. and If antagonistic. endeavor TO
thwart them.
Very valuable Information OF this
kind can only be obtained by bribing
an official of n foreign nation, and the
amount which one country will spend
To get such information may be gather
ed from the fact that Great Britain
paid Ei0.000 for copy or the treaty or
Tilslt between France and Russia.
Foreign countries spend enormous
sums on secret service. France Ger
many and Russia have their agents ev-
erywhere. and there are very few se-
crets of any nstion which they do not
know for Il l. unfortunately the case
that In the employment OF all govern
ments there are men willing 10 betfay
their country--for consideration.
The sun, spent nv Russia on secret
service does not fall far short ~ three
quarters OF n million annually. Ger
many and France each spend close on
half n million. Italy nearly n quarter OF
a million. and Austria about the same
The expenditure under this head ~
smaller states. such as Belgium, Hol-
land. Denmark. Norway and sweden.
Switzerland. Spain and Portugal. is
greater than than or England, the
average sum for each being about
ci00.0n0. Lord Salisbury the other day
said that the Transvaal spende cSoo.-
00o year on secret service. This es-
innate is about one.slxth OF the total
revenue NJ that country.
The whole amount spent In Europe.
Asia. Africa and America on secret
service cannot fan very far short OF
c500o.O00 annually .and 20 II not a pleas
ant reflection for the honest taxpayer
that 80 much of HE earnings " cxpcnd-
"a in irving 10 make traitors Of msn.