New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-11
ASPY AMONG DIPLOMATS
REUA PERFORMANC
OF A FOREIGN ATIACHE.
HE OBTAINED INFORMATION BY SUR
RFPTITI0US METHODS AT TAMPA,
AND Is LIKELY To BE DISMISSED.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TR1RuNE.I


washington. AnriI 1o-An important change
T.. tho 5inlor1atic corps at Washington may be
ENACTED as the result Of the remarkable per
<orr,apoe Of the military naval attache Of a
foreign power supposedly friendly to the United
c+ataa which is reported from Tampa, Fla
.-,,;s officer according TO those who witnessed
bic exceedingly peculiar actions within the last
+v-o months in the vicinity of the Notifications
e+ Eg1nont Key. at the entrance Of Tampa Bay.
and who noticed the curiosity he was mani
Testing in unfrequented channels Of that har-
bor has so far exceeded the limits Of propriety
Inseparable from duly accredited foreign rep
resentatve as TO place himself practically in
the category of a spy. If the relations between
the United States and the country which he
renresents were not apparently so extremely
cordial the offence. which has had no parallel
in recent times. would have already led to sum-
mary punishment.
From the statements made by trustworthy per-
sons at Tampa it appears that man speak
ing with a marked accent visited Port Tampa
not more than two three months ago and
chartered tugboat for a days cruise around
the harbor and just outside the bar. He had
provided himself with a chart Of the vicinity
issued ny the United States Coast Survey. on
which he laid down certain courses which. by
his direction. We're followed by the captain of
the tug On these courses, each twenty miles
long which radiated from the pier at Port
Tampa TO the northeast and southeast entrances
over the bar. soundings were taken from the
tug at the instance of the attache evidently
with the object OF verifying the accuracy Of his
marked chart These courses were peculiar in
that they avoided the deep and crooked ship
channel used by all pilots. and extended in
straight lines toward the entrances, while pro-
viding sufficient depth for vessels drawing be-
tween eight and ten feet of water the usual
6raught Of torpedo craft
The tugboat took the attache out of Tampa
Bay into the Gulf of Mexico. through the chan
80 north Of Egmont Key and returning
south OF the key, going near the shore
as the depth OF water permitted. thereby
affording opportunity for close observation
OF the fortifications erected there by the army
since the Spanish war began. On the compile
ton Of the tugs cruise the attache paid $50 for
her services. although less than one-half that
sum would have satisfied her captain.
The authorities know the name of the at
tache. and cognizant of all the details Of
his Investigations. but they cannot imagine any
remotely friendly motive in his acts. Military
and naval attaches accredited to this govern
rent receive the same treatment and the
opportunities for usefulness given to them
as their governments in turn accord to Ameri-
can attache abroad. Many privileges
granted to them proper application, and
while there have been many instances of ener-
getic avoiding the rigid formalities OF
reciprocal exchange of information, the in
cident at Tampa constitutes the first in which
there has been a resort TO eravely surreptitious
methods.
A visit of A skilled technical expert to
American harbor. to ascertain whether torpedo
vessels enter unusual and therefore
defended channels and proceed undetected TO
within destroying range of such aggregation
Of transports as loaded with the sixteen
thousand men OF Skaters army in May. 1895
is thought TO be unprecedented and officials de-
clare that not only should such an attache be
dismissed from the country whose hospitality
he has violated, but the nation whose uniform
he wears should emphatically disavow his act
and unequivocally demonstrate its good in
tentions toward the United States.