MAPPING OUT ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 308, 22 September 1908, Page 10

MAPPING OUT ENGLAND

■SYSTEMATIC SURVEYS BY FOREIGNERS. Much comment has been caused by tho reports from various parts of the country of tho operations of foreign spies. Several other instances have been brought to tho notice of Colonel Lockwood, M.l'., in addition to tlioso already published (says tho "Daily Express"). The Prime Minister and Mr. Haldane must havo some reason for affecting to attach no importance to these reports, seeing that, at the instance of various Government departments, a retired detective of high standing has paid three distinct visits to Epping and mado investigations into this subject. The reports of the ex-detective are probably filed away in the archives of Whitehall, and the officer himself is away from town on holiday. An " Express representative visited Epping recently, and mado inquiries in the same directions as those' followed- by the detective. He found unmistakeable evidence of long visits by German officers, who systematically scoured the district for topographical, details. This evidence was by no means" difficult to cjbtain, so that it is certain to be in the possession of tho Government. Mr. S. T. Cooke, proprietor of Ye Olde Thatched House Hotel, told the representative that about fifteen Germans havo made Epping their headquarters under suspicious circumstances during the last two years. "Eight was tho' largest batch here at one time," he said. "Another party consisted of four Germans, evidently military men. They lived within five ■minutes of.the main street, and in the morning they would make tours in different directions. Somo would cycle, and some would ride. I should think thero is not a man within a considerable area who.has not been visited by them at some time or another. The men, no doubt, find 'thi inns useful centres of ' information regarding forage stock and the capacity of., buildings. Once I actually caught two Germans'at tho magazine close by. One was holding a camera,'and the other had what was very much like a notebook, in which ho appeared to be' sketching or writing. I havo called the attention of, the authorities on two occasions to the prer serico of these spies, but I do not know of any in the, district now. That is. probably bccauso the Gorma'n Intelligence Department has all tho information it wants - 'about Eppin £." , , ' ■