Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-20


came the reply:
The United States has no report whatever
to mpart the subject most vitality concern
ing His MaleSty's closest ally. beyond the fact
that the feet which came to invade the Pacific
coast has been duly met. properly vanquished,
and rendered incapable of further harm. The
United States regrets that such action became
! necessary, and. with all due respect to Great
Britain and such other Powers NAV be in
terested, wishes to express a Discrimination to
reply to any further communications of this
or a similar nature.
A slap in the face could have caused no
greater CONSERVATION. The very terms OF the
reply showed insolence toward all the world,
and demanded explanation. But who dared
attempt it What country was brave enough
to take the risk of meeting those terrible sub
marines. which were capable IN a night OF
DESTROYING the most complete flotilla that ever
had been modified and sent away II they
only knew what form these monsters took,
what dire warning they gave as they advanced
to the attack. there might be some means OF
offsetting them or perhaps repelimg them.
That information, at any cost, must be gained.
In its reaching out for anything which might
suggest a way, the British ministry sent tor
Hitler
Guy sleepless and worn from nights and
days of anxiety, responded to the call hSt-
lessy wondering what further information he
could give as to the situation in America, or
what if any duty could be expected OF him
when the ministry itself was unable to accom-
plish anything.
He was ushered into the room where on
several previous occasions he had answered
questions and found there the same men who
had met him on the day OF his arrival IN Lon
don but there was different attitude this
time. however and the officials before hlrn
seemed anxious and Ill at ease. Plainly they
| were ready for any suggestion he might Offer
or any measure that might seem possible
Mr. Hitler" the Lord of the Admiralty
| began. in all the time you were IN Washing
ton did any rurnors stories or information
reach YOU regarding some new form OF sub
| marine boat projected. or being experimental
with BY the United States Government
At first. on impulse. he almost answered.
No. but before his lips could formulate
the monosyllable there suddenly returned to
his memory several conversations he had had
with DIR Roberts on this subject, and also he
recollected that in one of these talks Norma
had participated There was no reason so far
as he could think why he should conceal this
| knowledge
Yes" he replied, II do know something
OF the subject, but nothing tangible or Of
value. That which recurs to me IS converse
ton | had a few months ago with scientific
| inventor who is a friend of mine.
And his name pray?
| Doctor William Roberts
Every man in the room gave start and
looked at his neighbOr The mention OF the
| name seemed to have affected them he
Prime Minister repeated it as an exclamation.
nat Is the man. he Still, WIZ - 3uPfc9oh
to have gone insane, but who at one time,
according to our secret reports, was working
| on some electrical discovery which might be
utilized for an improved submarine What
do YOU know of 1t
Il know only this, he SAID, that DIR Rob
erts told me he believed it perfectly feasible
50 to use electricity through metal as to change
| its structure and at the same time lessen the
| resistance or skin friction. through the water
| of boat constructed.
Were YOU at the time discussing sub
| Marines
| Yes we were The subject arose through
his describing certain experiments in which he
and his daughter were then engaged. His con-
tention was that a submarine could never be
made totally effective unless it gained speed
+ so far beyond anything known that 1t could
traverse great distances and maneuver with
| such rapidity that it would be practically inn
mune from attack.
This then must be the solution and he
read in the faces of his interrogators that they
so accepted it There was chorus OF ques-
tons which he could not answer. He admitted
his lack of technical enlightenment, and also
that he had no knowledge of what success had
resulted from the experiments. Nothing OF
valuable nature had been given to him at the
time of that any other conversation. But
he had made it certain in the minds OF his
superiors that though they might not know
the secret of the submarines which had de-
stroyed the Japanese fleet, they at least were
aware what form of attack might be expected