A DEAL IN WAR STORES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15169, 7 December 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

A DEAL IN WAR STORES.

THAMES "MYSTERY SHIP."

Is England becoming the clearing-house for foreign ammunition? A few nights ago, says an exchange, there crept into the estuary of the Thames, somewhere below Gravesend, a small tramp steamer of about 800 tons deadweight.

She had como across from a near port on the Continent, and beneath her hatches was a large quantity of naval and military ammunition for the Greek Government.

A largo destroyer had been specially sent by Greece to take over the steamer's cargo, but by this time Greece was a belligerent nation. The owners'of tho tramp steamer professed entire ignorance of their vessel's

cargo. So far as they knew she was in ballast. At tho same timo (says tho Daily Mirror) they strongly objected to a Greek destroyer lying alongside their steamer at a time when Greece was at war with another nation, and, under international law, the warship could only remain in port for 24 hours.

It would look strange, they argued, especially as their steameras far as their knowledge went—had nothing contraband on board. So the difficulty was bridged over.

A string of barges was towed down river to the secluded spot where the littln "tramp' lay. Before many hours had passed these same barges course, to tho entire ignoranco of the owners of the steamer —wero laden with many cases, and were towed out to where a wicked-looking destroyer waited. They wcro transferred to tho destroyer, and rapidly she steamed away.