“It is not yet in Turkey,” said the Spook, and turned to another subject.
The Turks were now settled in their own minds that we would go to some quiet place on the sea-coast. They would have liked “a good time” in Constantinople, but were quite reconciled to a seaside resort. We decided to do more than reconcile them to it—we would make them madly keen to go there. And this is how we did it.
(I quote the records again.)
Spook. “Do you understand wireless, Moïse?”
Moïse. “Yes, I do, a little. I have just read something about it.” (Note.—The Spook had previously instructed him to translate to the Commandant a very technical book on wireless telegraphy which was in the camp library.)
Spook. “Now for thought-waves. They are fourth dimension waves, so you will find it difficult.”
Moïse. “Please try to make us understand it.”
Spook. “Thought is similar to wireless waves in some ways. For example, it travels best over water. Mountains interfere. A dry desert is bad. Thought-waves are stronger at night. Interference by other ions is easy. For example, what OOO did the other night” (i.e., when he blocked the line to Constantinople) “was to intersperse what we call ‘teletantic ions’ amongst the telechronistic. So you got wrong letters. If Yozgad was flat and wet, or an island, it would be much harder for OOO to interfere.”
Moïse. “You mean it is easier to interfere at night?”
Spook. “No! It is not easier to interfere at night. I did not say that. I said the waves are stronger at night.” (Moïse: “I am sorry, Sir.”) “I mean exactly what I say—interference by interspersing teletantic ions is easy, provided the waves are feeble—that is to say, if the distance is great or the locality is dry and mountainous. In all these respects it is like wireless. Also as regards the square of the distance, of which I told you.”