The Harrison times., 1914-12-05
My Mission and Betrayal in
England.

November 18, 1911, | received the
usual summons TO report at the VIII
helmstrasse. Instead OF being brought
before Count Won Wedel, was taken
over to Koeniggratzerstrass 10, to
the German admiralty intelligence de-
partment. Here | met my old chief,
Captain Tappken, head Of the naval
branch OF the intelligence department.
The captain briefly informed me that
It had been deemed advisable to send
me to England--unWelcome news,
this, as you will see
In the usual curt yet polite manner
Of German officers, the captain intro
duCed me TO three naval experts One
was a construction officer, another In
the signaling department, the third an
expert on explosives and mines, One
at time they took me In hand, groom
Ing me in the intricacies OF their re-
spective fields. 1t was like rehearsal
in the grooming | had received years
ago when taken into the service and
trained for months. ! sat for hours
over diagrams with naval officer on
each side. They brought me before
charts that were as big as the wall Of
the room. These charts gave the eX.
act dimensions and type Of every yes
sci in the British navy. Not only that,
| was made to study the silhouette Of
/. all the new and different types Of
AEnglish warships-why, you will see
y Obviously this special training was
significant Part Of my mission to
England was to watch the prepara-
tons and maneuvers Of British war.
ships at the naval bases on the Scot
tsh coast,
A Strained situation,
The situation between England and
Germany was ticklIsh. Politicians
had worked up a war scare to such
pitch that the people Of the two ma
tions were ready to rush into conflict,
Only n spark was needed to fire the
situation. Hence my mission,
It was included in my instructions
to watch the movements Of British
warshipB of the Scottish coast and
promptly cable the German admiralty
intelligence department concerning
them.
Moreover, had to brush myself up
In topography and trIgonometry In
England-so | learned from my In.
struCtIonB-it would be necessary TO
calculate distances, to take obsorya
tions on the exact nature Of the newly
reconstructed Rossyth base near Edin'
burgh on the Firth OF Forth besides
keeping IN touch with things In Gro.
marty,
| was to watch especially the now
Rossyth base and to report progress
on armamonts, new equipment any.
thing OF use to the German admiralty,
I was TO keep tab on all the British
fleet maneuyers then In progress on
the Scottish coast,
When | left Berlin | was thoroughly
equipped to carry out instructions,
Every war vessel Of the British navy,
every fertilization, naval base and de-
pot Of supplies was coded In secret
service oiphorB,
arrived In Edinburgh and put
up at the old Bedford hotel on Prin'
cess street, quiet select Scottish hos
telry, registered under my quasi
correct name Of A. *, Graves, NJ D.,
Turo, Australia, My stunt" was to
convey the impression Of being an
Australian physician taking additional
postgraduate courses at the famous
Scottish scat Of medical learning, Aft
or few days residence at the Bed
ford, | installed myself IN private
quarters at u Mrs Maclood's, 30 Craig
lea drive, Edinburgh,
For the first fortnight quietly
took my bearings, creating u euggea
ton that was a semi.inyaid Having !
by this time famillariSed myself with |
Edinburgh and surroundings, made |
frequent trips to the Firth OF Forth |
upon which was located the Roesyth |
base, Now across the Firth there IL
u long bridge It Ia between the
RoBsyth base and the North sea, War.
ships going to and from the naval sta.
tlon pass under IT,
Gradually | worked myself into the |
confidence OF one Of the bridge keep.
ora, shall not give the mans name,
for to do no would Injure him, and |
quito unwttIngly he gave me faeili'
ties for studying the naval base and
furnished me with scraps OF lnrorma.
tI0n that ! wanted 10 know
The schooling ! had received In the
ellhouettes presently came IN handy
one night my friend, the bridge tend.
or learned that tho fleet was getting
up steam, Accordingly, | stood ON
the bridge that night and waited. At
hye o'clock In the morning a gray
rainy foggy morning, through which
the ships moved almost gh0stllkF /
made out 10 war vessels, From their
silhouettes, knew them to be dread
cruisers, and torpedo boat
dostroyerB AZ once ! filed cable
by way Of BruBaela, Informing the IN
telligenee department OF tho German
a. =.