WAR OFFICE SECRET.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15121, 10 November 1914, Page 9

WAR OFFICE SECRET.

MYSTERIOUS ENGINE OF

DESTRUCTION.

Securely hidden away iv tho British! War Ofiico is tho most terrible plan in existenco for tho waging of war on land and sea (says tho London correspondent of tho "Capo Times"). "VVero tho Germans in possession of tho dread secret they could carry every fortress in Europe, swoep tho armies of the Allies out oi existence, and dispose of their fleets in a similar way. Great Britain alono possesses tho secret—it may yet bo put into operation. Tho overwhelming and irresistible: nature of this plan has been admitted by successive generations of British military experts. In the language of its inventor, "no Power on earth could stand against this attack," and it is thie very terror and annihilation of tho scheme which has prevented its uso by Great Britain on moro than ono occasion.

Tho plan for attacking and destroying au enemy's fleet and for other irresistible warlike operations was propounded by tho famous Admiral Cochrane, aftcnvards. Lord Ihindonald, in 1811. Hb submitted it to his Government, who referred it to a oeoret committee- to report on tho adrisahility of its u&e against Napoleon. Tho comHiitfcoe- consisted of the Dnko of York, Cominandor-in-Chief of tho .Army, Admirals Lord Keith and Lord Exinoutli. and tho brothers Congrovo of tlio Ordnance. They found tho schemo to bo all that Dundonakl claimed for it.- Itprovided an irresistiblo and infalliblo means of attack, but with co devastating a fulness that they declared it inhuman. Still, tho Government proposed to put a part of the- scheme into operation against the fortress and fleet of Toulon Dundonald refused to undertake it on tho ground that to test ouly nart of it was uafair ; and moreover that this minor experiment would reveal tho whole plan for use by other countries. On the other hand, Dundonald offered to reduco Flushing at one blow, if he were allowed a free hand for tho operation of his scheme Tho Governmaat hesitated to employ so annihilating a form of warfare, and finally refused. But when Dundonald entered the service of Chili in 1817, ho was required to pledge his word that ho would not dinngo his plan, nor uso ifc except on belmlf of England. That promise I>undo&ald patriotically observed, and forfeited his pay from Chili, Brazil, and- Peru rather than assent to their requests that ho should uso his overwhelming secret to bring their struggle against Spain to an early and victorious termination. But in 18-16, when the action of France raised alarm in England, Dundonald again urged his ; plan upon tho Government. Again tho Admiralty appointed a secret committee of three officers to report upon it. On January 16th, 1846, thoy presented their report, declaring that Lord Dundonald's plan undoubtedly would sweep out of ojastenco and destroy any hostile fon-0.-but that its first application would reveal it to the.world. In addition, tho terriblo destruction effected by tho operations would bo opposed to civilised war's principles. Twice during tho Crimean struggle Dundonald put forward his scheme. On tho first occasion, the Government refused tho offer on the ground that his proposition was too terrible even for war. The following year lie offered to reduce Sebastopol and Cronstadt at a blow. The Government played with tho offer, and nsked Dundonald to instruct two engineer officers in the scheme. This he ttemly refused, adding that ho would do it himself, and no other. Tho Government would not consent to this course, and the matter dropped. Thus, wjth the conclusion of the Crimean "War. the matter fell through, and the terriblo plan still remains hidden and untried in the archives of tho War Office. "Had it," declared Dundonajd, "been known to tho robels in the lato Indian Mutiny not a European in India would have escaped." Again, in his autobiography he wrote, "I repeat— and the assortion will one day be con- ! finned —that my plans now afford tho infallible means of securing at ono blow cur maritime- superiority and of thereafter maintaining it in perpetuity —of at once commencing and terminating a war by one conclusive victory." That -these- loud declarations were not tho mere vainglorious outpourings of tho inventor is shown by Dundonald'e large experience of war, and tho independent "opinion of two commissions of military experts who reported upon his schemo at an interval of nearly forty year*. Both committees reported tha,t tho plan was feasible, infallible, and irresistible, confirming Dundonald'ft own declaration, that no fleet, fortress, nor army couH -wil v, «.t:».TH tl>o attack. Only the appalling devastation of tho icliento prevented its operation by ttho (vjrorntaent against Xapoleon, and against Russia, a generation later in the Crimea. With this humane sque&niishness was coupled the con-! iteration that its first operation would levcal tho secret to the world and enable any country to employ it against Britain. Sut these two were the reasons urc*>d by DuTKk»~°'d for tho operation of his scheme. How tar, if a!> all. modern invention, by tho implements of war, has stultified T)nndoT>ald's cannot be j said, for it remains to-day, as. ever, ao inviolate secret of tuysterioiui power and vague terror