“Commander White’s testimony on that point might be interesting,” he said.
Commander White was summoned. When he entered the room, Mortimer said to him, “Commander White, I wish to know if Captain Brigham, while chief of staff, ever said anything to you about remarks by Commander Rich to him on the subject of the radio equipment of the Delaware.”
“He did say something about that, sir.”
“Do you remember what he said?”
“It is some time ago, but, as I recall it, Gunner Evans had just said something to him about the set not being in good working order according to the specifications of the Bureau, and he had told the gunner the set was the way he wanted it. When Gunner Evans had gone, Captain Brigham told me that Commander Rich had said he didn’t believe in most of the newer equipment, and he thought it would be just as well not to attempt to keep it all in working order, but to rely in practice on the old-fashioned gear.”
Commander Rich then said: “I don’t recall making any such remarks as that. Captain Brigham and I had frequent conversations, and at some time I may have said that some of the older gear had stood up well in service and was in some ways more reliable than some of the newer devices. Mr. Secretary, you know how easy it is to misquote a man, even with the best of intentions. Some remark of mine has been misunderstood and then passed from mouth to mouth till it actually is held up as evidence of treason. The thing is ludicrous. I never dreamed of advocating anything that would impair the efficiency of the ships.”
Evans spoke next. “The efficiency of the Delaware’s radio room as it was in Captain Brigham’s regime might well be likened to that of a Ford car with one cylinder working and no front wheels. In spacing the battleship divisions most effectively for the concentration of gun-fire, in disposing the cruiser squadrons and destroyer flotillas, every bit of modern equipment authorized by the Bureau is needed. Messages must often go out simultaneously on as many as five different wave-lengths. With the gear as Captain Brigham had it, that would be absolutely impossible; the team-work of the fleet would be crude and clumsy—worse, it would be paralyzed. Our ships, rambling incoherently over the ocean, would be at the mercy of the enemy if ever they were brought to action. That is what Brigham’s efficiency stood for.”
“Mr. Secretary,” said Rich with dignity, “I have already told you that I never advocated any neglect of radio equipment which could have impaired the efficiency of the fleet. The gunner here is obsessed by an exaggerated sense of the importance of certain devices in whose development he has been interested. When he found them not working as well as he would have liked, and Captain Brigham not as much interested in them as he was, he built out of some misquoted remark of mine an elaborate picture of high treason.”
Evans shrugged his shoulders and looked at Barton. The case against Rich did not appear on the face of it as clear and convincing as it had before the defendant’s eloquent tongue had been mobilized in his defense. But Barton held in his hand a strong card of which he had as yet given no intimation. During the night, after hearing from Mortimer how Goss had been caught and driven to confess, he had interviewed Long. He now rose and went to a door leading to an adjoining room, opened it, and beckoned Long to come in. As he entered, all eyes were not on him, but on Rich. When this officer saw the prisoner enter, he started and turned pale. To the watchful eyes of Barton the look of guilt on his face was unmistakable. Mortimer was rather struck by the ease with which he regained his composure after the surprise of seeing one whom he thought to be in the Azores, suddenly brought before him.
Barton then handed to Mortimer the original orders under which Long had been sent to Punta Delgada, formally signed by Admiral Bishop as Chief of the Bureau. Mortimer read the orders; then questioned Long as to his mission and how he had come to be sent on it. Long’s voice trembled as he answered: