Ill-Defined Frontiers

Scotland Yard was called in by the British Admiralty last week to clear up what looked like dirty work in the Royal Navy. The Yard had ten cases to solve:

1) H.M.A.S. Sydney (a 14,000-ton aircraft carrier): six loose steel bolts clogged the gearbox of the main engine in December 1948.

2) H.M. Submarine Trenchant: one of the main oil pipes was blocked with rag in January 1949.

3) H.M.S. Illustrious (23,000-ton aircraft carrier): highly inflammable magnesium signal flares were found in boiler room in May 1950.

4) H.M. Submarine Trenchant: a mysterious explosion in the batteries injured four seamen at sea off Scotland in June 1950.

5) H.M. Submarine Tallyho: sand was discovered in the engines after bearings became overheated during a trial run on June 17, 1950.

6), 7) and 8) Three unnamed destroyers: mechanical breakdowns reported between July 1 and 15, 1950.

9) A lighter being loaded with ammunition at Bedenham Naval Depot near Gosport: a mysterious fire started which set off fires on nine nearby ammunition barges, exploding 1,000 tons of ammunition, injuring 19 men on July 14, 1950. The ammunition was on its way to naval bases in the Far East.

10) H.M.S. Cavendish (33-knot, 1,730-ton destroyer): engines refused to turn two months ago, stray nuts & bolts discovered scattered through vital parts of machinery during overhaul on July 18, 1950.

This week in the House of Commons,

Prime Minister Attlee said flatly that the Gosport lighter case was an act of sabotage. Said the London News Chronicle: "We live in times when the frontiers between peace & war are ill-defined."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.