ARRESTED AS A SPY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14853, 2 December 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

ARRESTED AS A SPY.

AN ADVENTURE IN VENICE.

UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE.

A remarkable incident, which illustrates the jealousy with which the Italian Government regards its Austrian neighbour is described to a press representative by Mr. Theodore Byard, the vocalist, on his return from the Continent. Mr. "Byard has had a house in Venice for many years, and is well known- in the city.

"The incident,*' ho said, "arose from a visit to the Lido, the strip of strongly fortified land which protects Venice and its. lagoon from the sea. I went out there with an American friend in my gondola for a picnic, the Lido being a favourite rendezvous for that purpose. After lunch wo went for a walk and smoko, along the side of the Lido, facing the Adriatic. We passed near some of the forts which are situated every few hundred yards, but met with no opposition. Indeed, I asked a sentry if we could go on, and he did not prevent us. Wo returned to the gondola, and set out on ho four or five mile trip to Venice. We were sailing along, smoking our pipes, in the evening, when suddenly a torpedoboat came dashing up at a furious pace, nearly running us down. Wo were ordered to stop, and taken on board, the gondola being tied on to the torpedo-boat. The only explanation given us was that wo had been spying on the Lido, and must go with them. The commander was a groat, blustering, seafaring man, who shouted and screamed. The torpedoboat set off again at 15 knots an hour, and nearly sank our gondola, which was towing behind, till at last the captain was persuaded to put a sailor in her. The gondola, apart from its contents, was very valuable. In Durance Vile. "Eventually wo arrived at a big battleShip, called, I think, the Fondatore. Wo went on board, and were placed in a cabin with a sentinel at the door. It was a sweltering day, the cabin has a glass roof, and we were kept there with ine sentinel marching outside from 5.50 till ten at night. The people on the battleship were civil, but said we had to wait till tho admiral arrived. They would not let me telephone or get into communication with tho shore, so I gave them the names of influential friends. At ten o'clock a gentleman in gold lace came on board and interviewed us very severely as to why we had been spying on the Lido. Apparently a signal had been sent from the Lido to Venice to say there were two spies walking about the fortifications. Back we went now to Venice for a careful examination'at the police office, and eventually they let us go about eleven o'clock at night. ' "The whole thing," commented Mr. Ryard. " is very funny now, but at the time I was furious, though my friend, who had had similar experiences during wars in Greece and elsewhere, took it more calmly. When 1 arrived home I'■ found the people in a panic, because they thought we were drowned. The friends I had invited to dinner had gone away in ! a temper, and the fish on the table had been eaten by tho cat. y \ ! '"The climax arrived when, two or \ three days afterwards, the camera, which had been appropriated by the authorities,, was returned with the* films nicely developed. They were all photographs taken in England before 1 went out. I afterwards visited the Prefect, and he half j apologised, but nothing else was done. i "When I first went to Venice, one could go anywhere along the Lido, but of recent years the authorities have become much more strict. New fortifications have j been constructed, and now one can only picnic on a small portion of the land. Notices are exhibited forbidding people to* stand still or tflke photographs, and for that reason I left my camera in the | gondola." ' ' ' |