Part 22 (1/2)
What a relief it was to all when the faint outline of land gradually showed up far ahead! Greater still some hours afterwards when a bay was entered and the vessel reached safe anchorage. This, however, was far from the destination we had had in view, and however beautiful the scenery might be said to be, my companion and myself had no desire to linger there for an indefinite period.
How we fared eventually; how the soul of one of our small coterie collected on a rock-bound island, a General recently returned from Gallipoli, pa.s.sed over the Great Beyond in a storm; how s.h.i.+ps that pa.s.sed and repa.s.sed were attacked by submarines and sunk or escaped; how wreckage, empty lifeboats galore and dead bodies daily piled up in the alcoves and on the rare sand-patches of the sh.o.r.e; how a wireless, with plant and adjacent buildings, was blown sky-high; how we were all burnt out of house and home, and other pa.s.sing episodes of that short but adventurous trip, do not concern the subject-heading of this narrative.
They remain another story.
Suffice it, therefore, to say that after a meal of sorts ash.o.r.e a bargain was struck with some rough but honest island fisherfolk, whose knowledge of English was limited, although they knew well the value of a ”John Bradbury;” and an hour after entering that peaceful haven of refuge a small fis.h.i.+ng-craft stealthily crept out to sea, steering northwards over the scene of our recent fight, where she was soon lost in the silences and the shadows of the night.
CHAPTER XVI
THE CAs.e.m.e.nT AFFAIR
IMPUTATIONS--NORWEGIAN CHARACTERISTICS--CAs.e.m.e.nT'S LETTER TO SIR EDWARD GREY--IRISH INTERESTS--SURREPt.i.tIOUS VISITS TO THE EMBa.s.sY--ENVOYe EXTRAORDINAIRE--10,000 FOR CAs.e.m.e.nT'S SERVANT--CAs.e.m.e.nT'S EXPLANATIONS, COMMENTS, KIDNAPPING AND MURDER ALLEGATIONS--SIR F. E. SMITH ON CAs.e.m.e.nT'S LIFE AND ACTIONS--A BAD MISTAKE.
In February, 1915, a veritable bombsh.e.l.l was burst in the diplomatic circles of Northern Europe.
A letter had appeared in the German newspapers containing very grave allegations against a British Minister, extracts from which had apparently been sent round broadcast to the Press of neutral countries.
On Wednesday, February 17th, the _Aftenposten_ of Christiania published the doc.u.ment in its entirety. Other papers may have copied it, but the demand for copies immediately became so great it was difficult to secure them. Those which were purchased were read aloud in public places and discussed and commented upon until excitement reached fever-heat.
The general public in Scandinavian countries knew little or nothing concerning the writer of the letter--Sir Roger Cas.e.m.e.nt.
The _Norske Argus_ described him as ”a man who had held positions; a British Consul in various places in the Colonies; Consul-General in Rio de Janeiro; the exposer of the Putumayo affair.”
In Norway British Consuls.h.i.+ps are most eagerly sought after, and considered enviable positions carrying high honour.
The _Norske Argus_ stated that ”Sir Roger Cas.e.m.e.nt belonged to the faction in Ireland which had opposed the war and recruiting; that he had been to Berlin to intercede with the Germans for better treatment towards Ireland if it came to an invasion of the British Islands; and that he felt satisfied with the answer he had obtained from the highest quarters, that 'in such case Ireland should obtain her full freedom'; and because of this visit the English were very bitter against him and in many places he was stamped as a traitor.”
Now Norway is a country infused with a very strong Socialistic element.
It holds deep sympathies with the Irish, and believes them to be much abused and a much ill-used race. It knows nothing of the wildly absurd, headstrong obstinacy of certain Irishmen who make it their business to stir up dissent and to oppose their best interests; or that they apparently do this out of sheer ”cussedness.” Rightly or wrongly, Norway believes that Ireland is a poor, downtrodden country which during the past hundred years has received nothing but harsh and unsympathetic treatment at the hands of the English. Hence Norwegians, not being fully advised of facts, looked upon this bogus hero, who had voluntarily taken upon himself such great risks as his action and journey involved, in the light of a modern Garibaldi, rather than as a traitor to his country, which he had and since has fully proved himself.[10]
In his letter Sir Roger Cas.e.m.e.nt stated that he landed from America on October 29th, 1914, and that within a few hours of his arrival his abduction or murder was planned by the British Minister personally. Some Norwegians looked upon this allegation almost as a breach of good faith with them and their country. They somewhat doubted that the representative of King George of England, the brother of their beloved and popular Queen Maud, could stoop so low as to be a party to such acts as were alleged against him in this letter. But they wanted and waited for a denial direct.
There was no evidence whatever before them that this man (Sir Roger Cas.e.m.e.nt) had done anything contrary to the interests of England, or that he could well have done anything between the outbreak of war and the dates quoted. If he was a traitor or a criminal their own Ministers and police should have been informed thereof and the man arrested and extradited for a fair trial. The alleged revelations thus came as a shock to the country, and consternation filled the faces of many thinking persons.
TRANSLATION OF SIR ROGER CAs.e.m.e.nT'S LETTER TO SIR EDWARD GREY, AS PUBLISHED IN THE _Aftenposten_ ON THE 17TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1915[11]
”SIR EDWARD GREY,
”I understand that my pension has been the subject of an interpellation in the House of Lords.[12] I have already renounced my claim to the same upon going to Germany to ascertain the German Government's intentions towards Ireland. In the course of the discussion, according to what I hear, Lord Crewe said that 'Sir Roger Cas.e.m.e.nt's behaviour deserves a severe punishment.'
”This gives me an opportunity of clearing up once and for all the question under discussion, especially as I now am in possession of incontestable proof of the kind of punishment secretly meted out to me.
I acknowledge that from the first day three months ago when I first set foot on Norwegian soil, I was aware of your intentions, but it has taken me some time to get your diplomatic agent to give me written evidence of the a.s.sault that His Majesty's Government planned against me.
”Allow me first to show my own method of proceeding before comparing it with yours. Between the British Government and myself there has never, as far as I am aware, been any talk of a pension, reward, or order. I have served the British Government truly and loyally as long as I possibly could. I resigned as soon as I found it no longer possible. As it also became impossible for me to enjoy the pension legally due to me I have also renounced it voluntarily, as I had previously given up the position which ent.i.tled me to it and as I now give up all orders and distinctions that have at different times been awarded me by His Majesty's Government.
”I came last October from America to Europe to see that my Fatherland Ireland should suffer as little as possible from the results of this luckless war, however it may end.
”My point of view I have sufficiently clearly published in an open letter from New York dated September 17th,[13] and which I sent to Ireland for distribution amongst my countrymen. I have the honour to enclose a printed copy of this letter. It gives exactly my views which I still hold to and the duties which an Irishman owes his Fatherland during this crisis.