New-York tribune., 1920-09-12

and this was not illogically thought
to mean secret ink, but later it was
learned that the rs" referred to
one particular formula.
One German plan to get ex-
plosives and the necessary chemicals
therefor into this country for use in
destroying Allied ships WAS to have
them concealed in toy building
blocks. This scheme included the or
ganization Of a new importing COM
! pany in New York, which would
bring in all sorts Of general mer-
chsndise in which chemicals could
be concealed. These plans were
abandoned after Victorica's arrival,
as she was in favor Of much more
pretentious project, Of which we
shall learn later.
While the idea Of sending chemi-
Gals inside the building blocks was
not used, the building blocks did play
an important part in another way.
Along with the blocks were little
books Of instructions about how chill
dren should make use Of them. All
through these instruction books were
printed harmless looking code letters
and words Of no significance to the
casual observer, but which served as
a method Of communication between
the Berlin Office and their agents
here.
Submarine Base Ordered
What was still more important,
the books Of instructions contained
two or three blank pages, on which
were written long code messages in
the secret invisible ink. In one code
letter to another agent sent in this
way he was instructed to try to To-
cate submarine hase on the Attain
tic Coast between New York and
Cape Hatteras. This base was not
to be used for the purpose of sup
plying submarines, but as a secret
receiving station for explosives from
the other side. The explosives were
to be placed in air-tight casks and
the casks were to be put in heavy
canvas sacks, SO that they could be
lifted more easily. The instructions
were that the base selected should
be not more than fifty meters deep
and the exact location could be desig-
mated by expert nautical calculation.
Yhe agents here were to go to the
spot selected in such obscure, inno-
cent-looking craft as they could OBJ
tain and lift up the sacks contain
ing the explosives. It is not believed
that this scheme was ever successful.
Most Of the mail for Victorica was
addressed in triplicate. This was
| according to the usual custom Of the
German secret service, which sent
such communications in triplicate, or
even in quadruplicate, so that at
least one copy of each message was
reasonably sure to reach the agent.
These triplicate letters were secretly
numbered I, or 3 in inconspicuous
places in the margins. The reason
for this was that an agent could tell
il any letter was being intercepted,
and If so, quickly abandon the ad-
dress that seemed to be under sur-
veillance. In other words, if the
copy No. 2 Of a certain letter was
addressed to Victorica under another
name at a New York hotel and she
received Nos. l and 8 of that letter
at other addresses, but not No. 2,
she Immediately quit receiving her
mail at that hotel and established
new cover address. The United
States Government soon learned Of
this practice Of sending letters in
triplicate and so permitted all three
copies to reach their destination, in
I order TO avoid warning an agent that
the mail was being watched.
Wrote Dummy Letters
In making reports to Germany
Victorica usually wrote on a sheet
OF stationery folded to make four
pages. She would write an open
letter on the first and last pages,
leaving the second and third pages
inside for invisible secret writing;
or she would sometimes fill all avail
able space with an open message and
then place her invisible writing
between the lines. The open part
Of these letters seemed harmless
enough and gave little information
Of value, though they always con-
tanned some kind OF reference to
matters that the letters were really
about. For example, here 10 o let
ter addressed to Mime. dc Victories: