MILITARY SECRETS MISSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15521, 31 January 1914, Page 5 (Supplement)

MILITARY SECRETS MISSING.

Some anxious hours have been, passed by a young French artillery offcer* who, to his horror and dismay, discovered a,few weeks ago that "he had mislaid a portfolio containing a bundle of highly important secret documents. He had .them safe under his arm when crossing the Place de Opera, where he took a taxi-cab to drive to the Invalides. A few moments' anguished reflection showed him he had' left the precious portfolio on. the seat of the cab. Not having taken the number, he telephoned to the Prefecture of Police, and special. inquiries were made in all directions to trace that unknown cab. ,' . .

The night. was spent in the utmost anxiety by the officer and his-superiors, and no news came in from inspectors who had gone out on the quest.- Not until early in the- morning did the headquarters of one of the taxi-cab companies-inform the Prefecture that the missing, portfolio was in their keeping,, and .the commissary of police betook himself there at once. He. found the delinquent captain and two of his superior officers there before him, and. in silence the captain opened the portfolio and verified the . documents. None was missing, and, greatly relieved, the party adjourned. The chauffeur-had brought in the parcel to the head office on putting up hjs T cab, in. entire ignorance of .the hue and cry after him. '' " " ' ■"'."' '•