Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-17
06ense Of the Two Officers.


Of being spies, and Japan is the most
sensitive of all nations.
onense Of the Two Officers.
One Of the British officers recently
punished IS Capt. Trench Of the royal
navy, recently in command Of the bat
tleship King Edward. in the fleet of
Lord Admiral Charles Bresford, who,
the prosecuting officer in the case de-
clafed. was destined for the command
OF the British navy in the event of
war with Germany" Lieut.. Brandon,
his associate, has been for several
years attached to the photographic
ONCE of the British admiralty. and his
particular duty has been to correct
charts OF the northern coast Of Europe,
Including the North and the Baltic seas.
In the performance Of this duty he
naturally took personal interest in
along the German coast, and while he
denied that he was acting as spy
for the British admiralty. he admitted
that he was in search OF information
that would be OF value to his govern
ment concerning the landings places,
the harbors ana the fortifcations Of
Germany on the Baltic.
1t appears that Capt. Trench and
Lieut.. Brandon met at Wtesbaden,
whore the former was spending some
for q brief vacation, and the meeting.
according to their explanation. and
there is no reason to doubt it's truth.
was accidental, and as both were in
terested in naval intelligence. they ar
ranged to make trip along the Bal
tic coast mot to spy, but with the
intention Of reporting any information
Of Importance we might gather.
They visited several places in Germany
and went as far as Denmark. where
Avaf b..
turned by the same route along the
coast and were finally arrested at Bor-
KUN, q fortified town OF the East
Tristan Islands. near the mouth of the
land. The next day they would have
left German territory. Their caution
appears to have been relaxed after
having successfully inspected the coast
on two trips and having reached the
limits OF German territory. They were
imprudent in taking photographs and
making measurements and were detect
ed by a gunner, a non-commissioned
officer. from the fortress. who arrested
Brandon and took him to headquarters
Trench, seeing that his companion
was arrested, hurried back to their
hotel, in anticipation Of a search, to
hide or destroy discriminating papers.
but was followed and arrested before
he was able to do so.
The notes, maps, sketches and kodak
films found In their luggage related to
ten different fortihcations, including meas
urements Of piers already standing.
sketches OF places where piers could be
built without delay or difnculty. and
use of the piers. The information Is said
to have been very thorough and complete.
and the officers OF the German army were
very much ciagrined to learn that such
formation obtained without detection.
This chagrin undoubtedly inspired the
prosecution with unusual energy and
caused an increase Of the penalty that
wa1 imposed.
Denied They Were Under Orders.
Both Cunt. Trencli and Lieut. Brandon
promptly admitted the authorship OF the
maps and documents. but stoutly denied
that they were acting under orders from
the intelligence department Of the British
admiralty. Among other papers was
letter addressed to Dear Reggie" sew
eral sentences in which could be con-
strued to mean that Trench and Brandon
were acting in pursuance OF precon-
cefted plan, and both declined to give
any Information about Reggie" This
refusal was construed as q confession OF
their employment by the British ad-
The British government took no step to
secure the release Of the 0h1cers, ale
though his matesty's counsel at Leipzig
was present at every session OF the court
and Herr DR.. Won Gordon. an eminent
German lawyer, was employed for the
defense. His efforts were directed chief
" to belittling the proceedings, pointing
out the folly Of making q mountain out
Of a mole hill, as he described 1t. He in
sisted that It was undignified on the part
of the imperial government to show such
petty constituencies, and attributed 1t to
the influence Of the yellow journals. which
are always trying to get up war with
Enaiand and trying to convince their
readers that England Is planning an at
tack upon Germany.
Regarded as Extremely Serious.
The court, however. appeared to regard
the incident ~ extremely serious and
was convinced that the two officers "were
enSased in an investigation to procure In
formation which was Of importance only
IN view Of & sudden and Unforeseen at
tack on the part Of foreign power upon
the Gerrraan coast. This was serious and
deliberate espionage. ana was perilous to
Gkrman national security" The motive
and the purposes Of Trench and Bran
don were proven by the deceptiuns they
practiced. as they Travelled under false
names and gave false accounts Of their
residences. occupations and titles. The
gravity Of the case was proven by the