Hawke's Bay Herald. FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1882. THE"BRYANT SCARE."

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6222, 14 April 1882, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1882. THE"B RYANT SC ARE."

Thk Melbourne papers to hand publish full details of the Bryant episode, briefly referred to in recent telegrams. It will be remembered that Bryant gave to the Age certain information relative to the alleged mission of the Eussian squadron to Australian waters. The Argus promptly denounced the whole affair as a hoax, which view was confirmed by a cable message from Earl Kimberley. Then Bryant suddenly disappeared, which tended further to strengthen the belief that he was merely a bold inventor. We are inclined to believe that Bryant is a fraud, but it must be admitted that he framed a very interesting and ingenious account of himself, and of the alleged aims of the Eussian Admiral. His tale is very circumstantial, and we are not surprised that at first it was widely believed — indeed, we venture to say that many believe it still. Bryant seems to have known a good deal about the Eussian fleet and Admiral Aslanbegoff, and to have thoroughly sounded the depth o£ distrust of Russia entertained by most Englishmen. The whole affair is too long for reproduction in our columns, but a summary will be interesting to our readers. The Age prefaced Bryant's tale with an announcement that, after taking every means at • disposal to verify the truth of his statement, they believed it to be genuine and authentic. Henry Bryant, we are told, is a foreigner, though of what nationality does not appear. He seems to have possessed some education, for he is said to have an intimate knowledge of English, French, Dutch, German, and Italian, while his profession is described

as that of torpedo and military engineer). Fie avowed himself a Nihilist— -this, no doubt,, to account for his apparent betrayal of the Russian Admiral's confidences* ffe also alleges that the Admiral offered him & "mortal affront" before leaving, and adds-, " I have taken tike step which this discloses ffdm powerful motives personal to myself, knowing the false position I should place myself in with the public of Victoria if the information were found untrue." He alleges that he was on the most confidential terms with Admiral Aslaiibegoff — " so much so as to have been invited to assist him in framing in cypher a long telegraphic despatch in reply to one from the Russian Minister of Marine, conveying to Admiral AslanbegofE instructions for him during his stay in tlieso waters, and designating the movements of the fleet after he left Hobson's Bay." The so-called proofs of this intimacy are as follows : — First, he declared that among the items of the cypher message he helped to frame was a request from the Admiral that he should be authorised to pay 500,000 roubles to Bryant, who would rejoin the squadron in April; and then take the Russian mail steamer at Alexandria for Odessa, An Age representative visited Mr Daymon, the Russian consul, who, acting in ignorance of the reason why the infor. mation was required, admitted that he was instructed to secure a passage to Alexandria for Bryant, on receipt of instructions to that effect from Admiral Aslanbegoff. Next Bryant alleged that he was in the Admiral's inner cabin and overheard a conversation between him and Sir Bryan O'Loghlen. At the request of the Age Sir Bryan put some questions to Bryant, the answers to which satisfied the Age— it is not said they satisfied Sir Bryan — that his representation on that point was correct. This is really the only " corroberative evidence," as a lawyer would call it, of the truth of Bryant's tale. The man, however, stated that he had a copy of the cypher message he wrote out for the Admiral, and offered to give it to the Government for comparison with the original in the telegraph office. This offer does not appear to have been accepted. This cypher, he also explains, enabled him to possess himself of the , contents of cypher instructions in the possession of the Admiral. Here are the alleged instructions, which we reprint j verbatim : — To ascertain by view the vulnerable points of attack on the Australian colonies, and what forces they could oppose in case of war being declared between Russia and England. Which parts ot the coast are susceptible to be used as lurking places for privateers. In what way the different colonies could assist each other, and how long time it would require to obtain assistance. What ammunition, guns, and carriages, there are in existence in the colonies available for an emergency. If they have any arsenal where such ammunition is manufactured, and what foundries are there existing. If in case of war between the countries aforesaid, any reliance or trust could be put in the Irish population of the colonies in the event of any serious rebellion being fostered at the same time in Ireland. The Admiral is instructed to proceed to Shang-

hai, there to be joined "by another fleet. He will then receive his nomination as ViceAdmiral of the whole fleet, which will likely amount to fifteen or seventeen vessels in all. Eight of those vessels to proceed from Shanghai to the Fiji group for coals. The squadron from Fiji to proceed to New Caledonia or the New Hebrides, by which time war will have been declared, from Noumea or Kauala, to sweep upon the Australian colonies before there is time to be aware of any aggressive movement. One vessel of the combined squadron is to be detached (being specially fitted for the purpose) to cut and pick up the submarine cable connecting Port Darwin to Banjoewangie in Java. That vessel afterwards to join the other vessels by way of the western coast of Australia, and to make its appearance at King George's Sound to intercept the steamers from Ceylon or ' from the Cape of Good Hope. The object of all this is represented to be the levying of heavy requisitions in money by way of ransom for the colonies. The Admiral, according to Bryanti , thought very little of the defences of Melbourne, considering that if resistance were offered fire hundred men on land, assisted by the squadron in the harbor, could easily take the city. The Age goes

on to say : — " Melbourne is selected in preference to Sydney as being more easy of access and less strongly protected, and the amount of contribution to be levied from Victoria is five million pounds, from Sydney five millions, from Adelaide two million pounds, and from Brisbane one million six hundred thousand pounds. Bryant, our informant, says that when these sums were named he told the Admiral he thought it would not be possible to get so much ; but the Admiral's reply was 'he was better informed.' Mr Bryant has no doubt that Admiral Asianbegoff and his superiors took into calculation the propable cash in the hands of Victorian householders, and added to it the coin held by the bants and the mint, thus making up the five million pounds." New Zealand seems to be left out of the calculation altogether— perhaps the Admiral thought a trip here would not pay commercially. That's not very complimentary on the part of Admiral Aslanbegoff, but this is an instance where the absence of a compliment may be appreciated.