The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-17
AN ENQUIRY PROBABLE
~
The Latest Phase of the Miles Buff
fington Imbreglio.
A Court Way he Convened to Ascer-
tain the Truth Regarding the Pub
Secrcts-Reticence of the Ordnance
bureau Authorities Continues.

1t is regarded as very probable by War
Department officials that court or en-
! q,iiry will be ordered for the purpose of
/ learning the facts in the publication of
the French War Office secrets which. it
is claimed, were given out by an officer OF
the Bureau of Ordnance. The matter has
assumed the aspect of an open war which
affects the entire Department.
| On one side, LED by Lieutenant General
Miles. the officials hold up to shame the
action of an officer in resorting to what
they consider to be treachery to injure
, fellow-soldier. and demand an immediate
| investigation. On the other side, led by
I General Burlington, Chief of Ordnance,
/, there remains only sullen silence. The
and subordinates are forbidden to speak Of
the matter. AS yet General Miles has
received no reply to his demand for an
/ explanation, and today's developments
will decide the case.
! practical admission that the War De-
partment has In its possession the plans
| Tor the new French field gun was
made yesterday morning by a high
official of the Department who has
reason to know whereof he speaks.
| 1t is further admitted that Captain Lewis.
Secretary OF the Fortiications Board, and
General Miles confdant. obtained the plans
originally. but did so by order Of the War
Department and in the interest OF competi--
| tive tests OK field ordnance which had been
| ordered by the Board Of Ordnance and In
which the entire world was invited to par
| ticipate.
| The attaches at the American Embassy
, in Paris are entirely ex0nerated, as Is Lieu
| tenant Sims, the naval attache at the Paris
Exposition, who was accused by Paris
| newspaper Of being implicated in the mat
| ter. Captain Lewis is not regarded as hav-
| ing offended in any way, since he merely
| obeyed orders.
The offence complained OF is that an ord
nance officer should publish the secret in
formation Of the War Department in an
endeavor to disgrace an officer who had OPP
posed the disappearing gun carriage.
| An officer on duty in the office OF the
General Commanding the Army and who is
entirely in touch with the case. stated
yesterday that he believed General Buffng-
| ton would officially deny having issued the
| information and that the matter would
| drop there.
I'VE have traced the blame to his Office"
said he land he can either accept the
| first place Captain Lewis reported to the
| Ordnance Bureau from Paris and requested
certain sum with which to purchase the
! plans of the new French gun. General Buff
| fngton was the only man who had copy
| of that letter and 1; is now in his desk No
other man could have given out the dis
closures published, as no other man was
aware OF them.
Captain Lewis returned to the War De-
ctord n
| New York He held a long consultation
with General Miles and will not talk for
publication at present. 1t Is now general
| ly known that he secured the plans I'M
| der orders from the War Department and
| with money supplied by the Department.
| He disappeared from General Miles Of
| flee several months ago and was officially
! lost until three weeks ago when he reap
peared His whereabouts were kept Sc
| cret and no order was issued 1t is now
known that he went to Paris. the attaches
| there being known and under suspicion.
and without much trouble purchased the
plans. He then returned here and on Sun
day was greatly surprised to find the de-
| tails Of his coup made public.
There Is nothing strange or sensa
| tional in the War Department securing
| these plans'' said prominent Army Off
| Ger yesterday. ut may surprise you to
Know that every power IN Europe Is repre-
| scented IN the War and Navy Depart
| ments. ard that we cannot retain Sc
| crct We have information which leads
| us to believe that there are clerks and
| draughtsmen now in these Departments
| who are nothing more nor less than Sc
| cret agents of various Governments.
| know personally that Germany and
| France are represented in nearly every
| bureau. even in our Bureau Of Mill airy
| Information. They have no scruples in
| using our plans: therefore. this is fair
| exchange. You can rely on my state
| ment that the French Government will
| take no official notice Of the discovery"
General Miles has stated that in the
| event of an official denial from General
Burlington the case will be allowed to
| drop.