The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-05
WAR NEWS LEAKS OUT.
The British Government Investigates
The Cable Companies.
Especial Cablegram-Copyrighted)

Especial Cablegram-Copyrighted
LONDON, Feb. A secret investigation
of the leakage of information passing over
the cables from South Africa, commenced
six weeks ago, has just been completed. 1t
was fully believed here that on a number
Of occasions news of the British reverses
was known in Europe long before the in
formation reached the government. The
newspapers have repeatedly given evidence
in support of these allegations aud told OF
the marvellous means OF communication
said TO be possessed by DR.. Leyds, which
enabled him TO keep in the closest touch
with Pretoria. but the enquiry just closed
has demonstrated that in no instance mas
Dr. Leyds had the news in advance of the
British Governments He had the infor-
nation, however. and communicated it to
the foreign press before it was given out
here notable instance OF this was the
news of the abandonment of Spion kop
The solution of the mystery IS that there
has been reasonable leakage, and the
traitor is located either in the Eastern
Telegraph staff or the War Office itself
For fully month past the arrangement
has been that as soon as General Blller
or General Roberts sent a cable of more
than usual importance the lines have been
closed for a certain number oil hours.
sometimes for twenty-four hours. and even
diplomatic dispatches have been kept back
on the plea that some section OF the cable
route was intercepted.
But despite these precautions the news
repeatedly leaked out. and now an effort
is being concentrated upon the discovery
of the exact point Of the leakage. The
Eastern Telegraph people are proud of
their staff and confident of their loyalty.
They scout tn" idea that the leakage is
upon their system, and it is pointed out,
moreover. that any telegraph operator, de-
string to act as a traitor, must be ac-
quainted with the War Office secret code.
and have another code with which TO com
municate with his accomplices IN Paris or
Brussels, but the British Government has
control OF the entire telegraph system
here and since the war was month old
an agent of the War Office has been in the
foreign gallery of the central Telegraph OIL
fee in London.
There are two or three routes, such as
the Spanish cable to Bilbao and the
American cables to New York and back by
French cable. But the government inves-
tigaturs have satisfied themselves that
they were not used by the conspirators
The probability is however that they nave
been so used without the knowledge OF
the cable authorities in the cases where
DR.. Leyds had really long start OF the
London newspapers, but the conspirators
evidently sent their dispatches by special
messengers to Boulogne or Calais. which
are within four hours of London. whence
they would telegraph to DR.. Leyds. One
man. at least. has been shadowed for
weeks by British detectives. He is the
London correspondent OF a Paris morn
ing newspaper, which is heavily subsi-
died by DIR. Leyds. The correspondent
dispatches have been studied daily with
extreme care but without discovery of
anything calculated to confirm the sus-
picions that he is the Intermediary between
DR.. Leyds and the men who have been
milking the British Governments des-
patches.