Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-26
TORPEDO FLEET RECENTLY SENT
TO EUROPE lMPERlLED BY
ADVANCE INFORMATION
MINES LAID IN HARBOR
Sar ENTERED BY FLoTlLLA
Leak Believed to Have Been in United
Ststes--W ashington Officials Alarm
ed by Completeness Of German Secret
Service-May Know of Plans Regard
ing General Pershins's Expedition.

str6yers sent to the British Isles, has
lust been furnished to the navy de-
,partment by Vice Admiral Sims, in
command OF the notillas on dEty in
European waters.
According 10 Vice Admiral Sims, the
Germans knew that the president and
his advisers were considering the dis
patch Of the destroyers at the very
moment the proposal was being dis
cUsSed by these high officials
Berlin knew four days before the
arrival Of the ships the date when
The, would reach their destination.
More than that Berlin had precise
information IN TO the port selected
as the destroyer base
Mine Entrances to Harbor.
Promptly. the German admiralty
acted.
Entrances TO The harbor we're mined
by German submarines. Never be-
fore had this been done
Fortunately. the vigilance Of the
Brush mine sweeping vessels pre-
vented catastrophe. Those vessels,
in accordance with their instructions,
swept the sea. picked up the mines
and thus made the way safe for the
American ships.
But this is not the whole story.
German submarines lay under me
surface IN wait for the American ships
Just in front OF the harbor. Upon
the appearance Of the destroyers three
torpedoes were launched al them.
The lookouts saw them coming The
helms were turned over and the mis-
siles shot by their targets. The de-
stroyers promptly swung around 10
give battle to the enemy.
But the submarines did not show
themselves The search revealing moth
ing the destroyers went into the har-
Dor TO refit and resupply themselves
Thus the tirst brush with the enemy
left both scathless.
U. S. Officials Alarmed.
Gratifying as is the failure Of the
Germans 10 sink or damage the Amer
lean destroyers. their advance .knowl-
edge that the vessels were coming and
of the exact destination Of the craft
is a matter that has caused great
alarm in official circles
II the Germans could learn 50 easily
the truth regarding the destroyers, il
is appar ent that it will be just as easy
Pershing sails, and when 80 600 soldiers
and marines will depart. 1t viii be just
as easy for them to know the route
Of the ships and their destination. and,
so informed, to make arrangements for
an attempt to destroy the transports.
and il successful, to drown many OF
the men they carry.
So the president and the secretaries
of the navy and war are anxious TO
have a prompt answer 10 this .ques-
tion:
How did the Germans get the ex-
act information which enabled them
10 arrange the hostile reception at
lie very point OF arrival Of the Amer
lean destI'Oyers?"
In other words, where Is the spy?
And how did the spy get mis- iufOrma-
tiol to Berlin
investigation Begun.
As COON AZ the first report was re-
ce.yed from Admiral Sims showing
German knowledge Of American plans
an investigation was Instituted by
the several departments of the gov
ernntnt and the secret service.
Trp 10 date not a cleW has been
discovered. The spy has left NJ
trail 1t is not even known how he
gpt the information Out OF the coun-
try.
II is evident that the Spy must ne
in position to get lnforma lion rot
only i bout tie navy but even about
the delihpratIors Of the presi dent and
I,s ca ojnet.
i IS n0t difficult 70 trace the p~o-
cn,.ure In connection with the dis
patch OF the destroyers 70 Europe
The matter arst was considered ny
The general hoard Of the navy, con-
sistrg OF nine officers Of the ranks
Of rear adrnrai and captain, The
board has a naVaI officer AS secre-
taTy and p chief clerk.
The board - commended action by
the department. The rec ,mmenia-
tibn. typed by IN officer, vas hanied
TO Secretary Daniels, who laid it be
fore the president. The president, ia
turn, presented 1t 10 the cabinet.
a Discussed With Allies.
1.-THE British and French missions
were here at the time. They urgently
favored the dispatch of the destroy
ers, and there was a full and frank
discussion with them concerning the
matter This involved the location
OF the port upon which the destroyers
We're TO be based.
The state department. discussed
with the British embassy here and
1 took up thru the embassy in Lon
don various questions az to the base
4 TO be placed at American disposal,
exchange Of signals, etc.
XII Vice Admiral Sims. who was in
London, also was informed oil the
plans Of the government in order that
he might take part in the negotia-
tons. The British admiralty also
knew u the American plans.
All the dispatches TO London and
& to Sims were in cipher. But they
passed thru various hands, including
stenographers and cipher clerks
q$s Every one OF these men Is held above
suspicion.
2 Orders to Move Sealed.
The orders to the commander of
tho hotilla were sealed. He was told
10 pat 10 sea, and when certain dis
lance from shore was ordered to open
the envelope handed him. Conse-
quentlys No one on the fotila could
have gotten the news to Berlin, ever
X he had been IN German pay.
The German spy has been exceed
tngly successful in London, But tht
authorities exonerate London for vari-
Gus reasons. They believe the spy II
oFsrating In Washington. 50 from
now on additional precautions will b