The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-08

spy is paying the price Of his liberty
for knowledge of how the Frenchmen
build and equip their submarine boats.
The British admiralty has the plans of
the Gymnote and the Gustave Zede,
and the French have the man whom
they believe to have been the agent of
the British government in securing
these plans. That is as much has any
one not intimately connected with the
British admiralty or the French minis
try of marine knows about the matter.
Who this spy is and whether he was
employed by the British admiralty di-
rect or through Nickers' Sons e Maxim
are state secrets in Great Britain, and
may never be known generally. But
the French governments announce
ment of the arrest of supposed Brit
ish spy in the Cherbourg dockyards
was Immediately followed by an an
nouncement from the British naval Of
fee that the government had secretly
completed the construction of five sub
marine boats; that these would be
launched in October, and that they
combined the best features Of the Gym
note and Gustave Zede, with newer
and better ideas Of English engineers.
II was as If Great Britain were say
ing to France:
"You have the man, but in exchange
for him we have the results Of all your
years OF experimenting, and will now
proceed to profit by him."
For years the French government
has been experimenting with submarine
boats. 1t has provided funds without
stint and the move was everywhere Ia
vored in France, as 1t gave promise or
a weapon that could he used to great
advantage against the English Channel
squadron should occasion ever arise.
The same idea prevailed In England,
and the press Of Great Britain has been
almost unit In urging upon the adj
mlralty the necessity for building a
fleet Of submarines to put the navy at
least on a footing with that of France.
But the British admiralty pursued the
even tenor of Its way, apparently un-
mindful of the danger threatening by
reason OF French activity IN subma-
rlne bodybuilding. and seemingly un-
concerned as TO the success or failure
OF France In launching a serviceable
feet of submarines. There were many
evidences OF disapproval with the
course of the admiralty, and many pre-
dictlons OF disaster to result from its
failure to keep abreast OF the times.
Now 1t seems that the attitude of in
difference was assumed by the admiral
~ to cloak its actual Intentions and
that from the very beginning that
bbAy mas UcfH tdbNf " pIOul NY LHE
experience of the builders and expert
mentors with submarine boats. Among
other things that have leaked out OF
the naval Office Is the knowledge that
duplicates Of the plans OF the Ameri-
can submarines Of the Holland type
are in possession OF the admiralty, ana
that for a long time an English spy
has been in the employ OF the French
as a naval engineer and drafts man.
Absolutely nothing can be learned as
TO the Identity OF this spy from the
British admiralty, but certain things
about him are so perfectly obvious that
they may be given as facts.
For instance, no English engineer
would knowingly have been employed
by France on a work Of, such import
ance or where any secrecy was to be
maintained as to details; consequently,
II Is certain that this EnRlishman was
thoroughly we'll up In the language ana
manners Of France and 70 well versed
In French affairs that he could with
ease pass himself off as a Frenchnian.
II also 10 perfectly obvious that. after