I recalled the hints dropped by Captain Vassileffsky at Revel.
“Your majesty has been informed perhaps that I have caused the officers and men of the Fleet to believe that they will find Japanese torpedo boats lying in wait for them among the English fishing vessels in the North Sea. In consequence, they will be ready to fire without waiting to see if the torpedo boats are really there, especially if the fishermen fail to retire as the Fleet approaches.”
The Kaiser shook his head.
“All that is leaving too much to chance, my good de Petrovitch. What is required is something more positive. In short, the torpedo boats must really be there.”
I lifted my eyes to his.
“There is not a Japanese torpedo boat within ten thousand miles of the North Sea, unfortunately.”
Wilhelm II. smiled a meaning smile.
“If that is all, we must so far forget the duties of neutrality as to allow the friends of Japan to procure a craft suitable for the purpose from our dockyard at Kiel.”