There had always been more or less liquor smuggling going on, but since the prohibition amendment became effective, the smuggling of liquor had assumed the proportions of a great industry. Liquor manufacturers in countries where the liquor traffic was not forbidden, were shipping vast quantities of wet goods to America, because of the high prices that could be obtained for the forbidden products.
Whole fleets of whiskey-laden vessels were constantly sailing from Bermuda and other foreign West Indian ports, and anchoring in the ocean just outside the three-mile limit, where Uncle Sam’s jurisdiction ceases. Small boats by the score, equipped with powerful motors and manned by desperate crews, were smuggling the stuff ashore in the dark. The “dry Navy” composed of former submarine chasers, and the Customs Department’s own sea-going force of four boats were working hard to prevent the landing of these rum ships and to seize the smuggled liquor.
Most of these patrol craft were equipped with wireless, and the Special Agent had to issue his orders at long distance. He lacked a wireless outfit in his own office, however, and had to use a government wireless in another part of the city. He telephoned his messages to the operator there. This would have been satisfactory enough if the operator had not been so busy with other work that sometimes the Special Agent’s messages were held up for hours before the operator could send them.
After an especially provoking delay one day, Mr. King called to his office boy. “Willie,” he said, “are you competent to communicate with my boats by wireless?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Willie. “I can talk to them if you wish.”
“Well, we don’t have any wireless in this office, and I have no appropriation to buy any. But I am tired of all this delay in sending orders. What would an outfit cost? If it doesn’t set me back too much, I’ll be hanged if I don’t buy an outfit myself.”
“If you could get me a good battery,” said Willie, eagerly, “you could use my set. I’ve got everything we need except a strong battery.”
“What would that cost?”
“Maybe it wouldn’t cost anything. We might be able to use the battery from an old motor-truck. You’ve got a lot of them in the department.”
“That’s a fact. And we likely have some extra batteries. We could use one of them, couldn’t we?”