SCHEMES WENT AGLEY

Evening Star, Issue 23724, 4 November 1940, Page 8

SCHEMES WENT AGLEY

WHEN JAPS WERE NOT SO CLEVER IHGIDENTS AFTER LAST WAR In the efficiency, in enterprise, in übiquity, and in the number of its personnel the Japanese intelligence service is probably equal to that of Germany (writes W. P. Hurst in the. Melbourne ‘ Argus ’). Its servants are less boorish, less blatant, and less generally obnoxious than the Nazi myrmidons: they have the saving grace of good temper and courtesy, and these qualities are never objectionable, even to those who are suspicious of them. Now, it so happens that the very ingenuity, alertness, and enterprise of the Japanese system have turned to the advantage of the Great Power whose secrets it sought to probe. History will tell—and it may be soonwhether the ultimate consequence will not be to the definite disadvantage of Japan. There are two chapters in the story. It begins in 1914, when Japan was on very friendly terms with Great Britain —was, indeed, a useful ally. On October 28. at 5 o’clock in the morning, the Russian cruiser Zemtschug lay at anchor in Penang Harbour. (Russia also was then our ally, but not so useful.) Most of the officers were ashore, having spent the night in a carouse. The few officers who had returned to the cruiser and the crew were very soundly sleeping. The German raider Emden appeared out of the mist, and was sighted by two French warship (more allies, not wholly reliable), which were on guard at the harbonr mouth. Von Muller, however, had rigged a fourth dummy funnel on the raider to make her a British cruiser, and she passed in without challenge. She sped past the Zemtschug, and fired a torpedo into her stern. Then she slackened speed in order to turn, shelling the Russian as she did. Turning, she again passed the Zemtschug. on the way to the Ijarbonr mouth, and fired a torpedo into her amidships. The Zemtschug sank like a basket. A few minutes later, still within the harbour von Muller met the French destroyer Mosquet. and sank her. Then he escaped, scathlcss. to the open sea. That is the end of the first chapter, but there is material for a footnote : The Fmden captured one more prize, and her raiding days were over On November 9 she encountered H.M.A.S. Sydney. TWENTY YEARS AFTER. The second chapter opens in 1934, when it was decided to,raise the Russian cruiser. The offer of a Japanese salvage

firm was accepted. Great Britain was still on friendly terms with Japan. The necessary vessels and gear'were soon on' the spot, and a few days later Japanese were taking photographs of every feature of Penang Harbour. As a matter of course, seeing that they were bent upon salvage, they took soundings also. They were cheerful little fellows, and really the harbour authorities could hardly expostulate 1 with men who were going about their “ lawful occasions.” Many of them spoke very good English, and some offered to give copies of their photographs to those who conversed with them. But the authorities were nevertheless worried. As Mr Harry Greenwall says, in ‘ Pacific Scene ’: “ Cables went flying to Whitehall, and in 48 hours inquiries were set on foot. There was no doubt that the salvage attempt was a genuine one, but just as genuine was the Japanese attempt to find out all there was to be found about the possibilities of Penang.” Under orders from Whitehall, the Penang harbour authority supervised the work of the contractors, and restricted the activities of the Japanese strictly to salvage operations. THE BITER blt. The sequel is important. The advantage accruing to the British Empire from Japanese enterprise is that the

Imperial authorities, awakened to % sense of possible future danger, seti about the task of defending Penang. The work was undertaken with vigour, and so altered became the aspect of th* harbour that the salvage staff’s photographs soon became valueless as records, though interesting enough as cameroddities. Barracks, stores, and gun emplacements were constructed, ‘and a garrison of artillery and engineers was sent to Penang. The censor would forbid, and rightly, publication of_ details of the defences, but it is permissible to say that they are very formidable, and that many millions of pounds have been spent oa the harbour and near it. ml Penang’s importance is great. Th* town is 350 miles (an hour’s flight) from. Singapore, with which it is intimately connected. It is next door but one to French Indo-China, Thailand (Siam un. til last year) being the intervening country. The value of its adequate defences'to all tho countries lying to th* south of Penang (Australia, New Zealand, and the Dutch possessions in particular), as well as to British India—and. in fact, the whole Empire—is manifest. Viewed in the light of the sequel, the visit of the Japanese salvage contractors cannot be regarded as one of thos* , “regrettable incidents” that do s« often vex us when we open our morning newspapers.