BRITISH SECRET SERVICE DURING THE GREAT WAR BY NICHOLAS EVERITT AUTHOR OF "ROUND THE WORLD IN STRANGE COMPANY," ETC., ETC. Not Heaven itself upon the past has power; But what has been, has been, and I have had my hour. DRYDEN. _THIRD EDITION_ _LONDON: HUTCHINSON & CO. PATERNOSTER ROW_ THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO VISCOUNT NORTHCLIFFE WHO DURING THE THROES OF OUR NATIONAL CRISIS PROVED HIMSELF THE GREATEST OF ALL LIVING ENGLISHMEN CONTENTS CHAPTER I WAR AND THE INTRODUCING OF JIM PAGE THE PROSPERITY OF 1914--AN OMINOUS CALM--MULTITUDE OF GERMAN SPIES--HOW ENGLAND WAS UNDERMINED--SHORTSIGHTEDNESS OF OUR LIBERAL GOVERNMENT--SECRET KNOWLEDGE OF PROMINENT MEN--SIR EDWARD GOSCHEN'S HISTORICAL DESPATCH--RUSH TO THE COLOURS--OUR UNPREPAREDNESS--INTRODUCING JIM--PATRIOTS FROM AFAR--F. C. SELOUS' ROUGHRIDERS--INITIATION INTO THE FOREIGN SECRET SERVICE--ADVISORY TESTAMENTARY DISPOSITIONS 27 CHAPTER II SECRET SERVICE ORGANISATIONS, COMPARISONS AND INCIDENTALS ESPIONAGE IN PAST AGES--MODERN BRITISH SECRET SERVICE FOUNDED, 1910--POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS--COMPARISONS--JEALOUSIES OF BIG DEPARTMENTS--EXAMPLES OF RECKLESS EXTRAVAGANCE--BUSINESS MEN WANTED--ECONOMIES IN THE SECRET SERVICE--BUNGLING INCOMPETENCE--IMPASSIVENESS OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE--GERMAN WAR METHODS--FRENCH AND DUTCH SECRET SERVICE--MILITARY INTELLIGENCE, B.C.--RISE AND DEVELOPMENT OF GERMAN SECRET SERVICE--THE EFFICIENCY OF SCOTLAND YARD--DETAILS OF GERMAN FOREIGN PROPAGANDA AND EXPENDITURE--BRITISH SECRET SERVICE: ITS COST AND FRUGALITIES--MAJOR HENRI LE CARON--NATHAN HALE--SIMILITUDE OF THE LIFE OF A SECRET SERVICE AGENT 44 CHAPTER III INITIATION TO ACTIVE WORK CROSSING THE NORTH SEA--A MEMORABLE MEETING--INSTRUCTIONS--ON A CARGO BOAT--SNOW-STORMS--FALSE ALARM--DANISH PROFITEERS--ENGLISH CONSUL PROFITEERING IN FOOD TO GERMANY--HORSE-SMUGGLING--MEETING MY C.O.--BLOODED 74 CHAPTER IV INTER-COMMUNICATING WITH TEMPORARY CODES AND INCIDENTS GRAMMATICAL CODE--A TÊTE-À-TÊTE--CONFIDENCES--MISCONSTRUED MESSAGE LEADS TO DOMESTIC TRAGEDY--LOCAL CODES--AN ALTERED MESSAGE--AN IMPORTANT MISSION--SHADOWED--ATTEMPTED THEFTS OF PAPERS--A CONTRETEMPS--LEAKAGE OF NEWS FROM ENGLAND--WATCHING A SUSPECT--FALSE MESSAGE DISCLOSES AN OPEN CODE--GEOMETRICAL CODES--THE KNOT CODE--A FASCINATING ACTRESS, A CONFIDING ATTACHÉ, AND A MYSTERIOUS CHESS PROBLEM--CLEVERNESS OF FRENCH SECRET SERVICE 82 CHAPTER V LOCATING GERMAN MINE-LAYERS