Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-07
'B0MbSSECRETED
0NFRENCRS SHIPS
Found on Three Boats Sailing
for Havre From New
York Last May.
BELIEVED TO BE PLOT
TO DESTROY MUNITIONS
One Boat Carried Automobiles and
Grain-An Failed to
Explode.

NEW YORK. July Three ships
sailing from this port to Havre and
reaching there last May, 1t was learned
from an authoritative source today,
were found to have unexploded bombs
aboard, the missiles having been placed
on the ships in this city before sailing.
In each case. 1t was said. the bombs
had been placed aboard a vessel carry
ing automobiles and other supplies for
the French army
An investigation in which the United
States secret service detectives of this
city and the French government had
Joined. 1T was said. had been begun.
The bombs were found among the
consisted Of two large iron cylinders,
one of which contained acid and the
other explosive, which would be set
off when the acid should eat its way
through the walls of the cylinder. The
plot was frustrated in each Of the
three cases. tt was said. by the failure
OF the acid to penetrate the iron and
reach the explosive during the voyage
across.
Well Defined Plot Uncovered.
The existence of a we'll defined plot
to destroy munitions of war, 1t was
said. had been uncovered by the dis
covery of the three bombs Announce
ment that the bombs had been discov-
cred was made by steamship man of
high standing in this city, who con-
firmed the story told today by H. c.
Hill. passenger of the steamer Es-
payne.
Mr. Hill said that one such bomb had
been found aboard a vessel, which he de-
clined to name, because he thought its
designation might hamper the investiga-
ton.
When Mr. Hiss statement was con-
firmed the man confirming 1t did so en-
phatica1ly, and said that the ship to which
Mr. Hill referred was only one of three
whose destruction at sea had been threat
ened by bombs. This man declined to
permit the use Of his name, or to give
further details concerning the attempts to
wreck the steamers on the ground that to
do so might seriously handicap the work
Of secret service men and detectives in
vestigating the plot.
Mr.. Hill is European representative Of
an American automobile company that
has made large shipments Of military
automobiles to the allies.
One Of the bombs, consisting, he said,
OF two metal cyclinders. capped with
wax, was discovered in one of the au-
tomobile cases. and the other in a sack
of grain. One cylinder was filled with
acid. the other with a highly inf1am-
mable chemical.
Saved by Smooth Passage.
The bomb in the automobile case. Mr.
Hill said. was evidently designed to be
exploded by the motion of tho ship
| causing the acid and the chemical to
mix. An unusually smooth passage
probably resulted in the failure of the
plot, he thought.
One Of the boards on the automobile
case had been pried loose and the
bomb inserted, possibly at the time
the case was placed aboard the ship.
ut also has been found" said Mr..
Hill. that attempts to destroy or make
useless automobiles shipped to the al
lies are frequent. We are compelled to
keep at Havre large force OF
mechanics to examine carefully each
machine even before it Is tested. On
several occasions during the past few
months there has been found emery
dust tn the cylinders, which will soon
make the car useless, and in some in
| stances borings have been made in
vital parts of the machinery"