“Included in report by K17 to Diplomatic Agent controlling Section 7-4-11-B. Recommended that detail plan of DuPont works be made without delay.
“Skeel.”
Followed several sheets in cipher, evidently some intricate variation of those which are always ultimately solved by experts.
But the documents that were now unfolded by Captain Renoux proved readable and intensely interesting.
These were the papers which Renoux read and which Barres read over his shoulder:
“(Copy)
Berlin Military Telegraph Office Telegram
Berlin. Political Division of the General Staff
Nr. Pol. 6431.
(SECRET)
8, Moltkestrasse,
Berlin, NW, 40.
March 20, 1916.“Ferez Bey,
N. Y.“Referring to your correspondence and conversations with Colonel Skeel, I most urgently request that the necessary funds be raised through the New York banker, Adolf Gerhardt; also that Bernstorff be immediately informed through Boy-Ed, so that plans of Head General Staff of Army on campaign may not be delayed.
“Begin instantly enlist and train men, secure and arm power-boat assemble equipment and explosives, Welland Canal Exp’d’n. War Office No. 159-16, Secret U. K.:—T, 3, P.”
“Foreign Office, Berlin,
“Dec. 28, 1914.
“Dear Sir Roger:—I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 23d inst., in which you submitted to his Imperial Majesty’s Government a proposal for the formation of an Irish brigade which would be pledged to fight only for the cause of Irish nationalism, and which is to be composed of any Irish prisoners of war willing to join such a regiment.
“In reply I have the honour to inform you that his Imperial Majesty’s Government agrees to your proposal and also to the conditions under which it might be possible to train an Irish brigade. These conditions are set out in the declaration enclosed in your letter of the 13th inst., and are given at foot. I have the honour to be, dear Roger, your obedient servant,
“(Signed) Zimmerman,
“Under Secretary of State for the Foreign Office.
“To His Honour, Sir Roger Casement,
“Eden Hotel, Kurfürstendamm, Berlin.”“(SECRET)
“Colonel Murtagh Skeel,
“Flying Division, Irish Expeditionary Corps,
“New York.“For your information I enclose Zimmerman’s letter to Sir Roger, and also the text of Articles 6 and 7, being part of our first agreement with Sir Roger Casement.
“You will note particularly the Article numbered 7.
“This paragraph, unfortunately, still postpones your suggested attempt to seize on the high seas a British or neutral steamer loaded with arms and munitions, and make a landing from her on the Irish Coast.
“But, in the meantime, is it not possible for you to seize one of the large ore steamers on the Great Lakes, transfer to her sufficient explosives, take her into the Welland Canal and blow up the locks?
“No more valuable service could be performed by Irishmen; no deadlier blow delivered at England.
“I am, my dear Skeel, your sincere friend and comrade,
“(Signed) Von Papen.
“P. S.—Herewith appended are Articles 6 and 7 included in the Casement convention:
“(SECRET)
“Text of Articles 6 and 7 of the convention concluded between Sir Roger Casement and the German Government:
“6. The German Imperial Government undertakes ‘under certain circumstances’ to lend the Irish Brigade adequate military support, and to send it to Ireland abundantly supplied with arms and ammunition, in order that once there it may equip any Irish who would like to join it in making an attempt to re-establish Ireland’s national liberty by force of arms.
“The ‘special circumstances’ stipulated above are as follows:
“In case of a German naval victory which would make it possible to reach the Irish coast, the German Imperial Government pledges itself to despatch the Irish Brigade and a German expeditionary corps commanded by German officers, in German troopships, to attempt a landing on the Irish coast.
“7. It will be impossible to contemplate a landing in Ireland unless the German Navy can gain such a victory as to make it really likely that an attempt to reach Ireland by sea would succeed. Should the German Navy not win such a victory, then a use will be found for the Irish Brigade in Germany or elsewhere. But in no case will 275 it be used except in such ways as Sir Roger Casement shall approve, as being completely in accordance with Article 2.
“In this case the Irish Brigade might be sent to Egypt to lend assistance in expelling the English and re-establishing Egyptian independence.
“Even if the Irish Brigade should not succeed in fighting for the liberation of Ireland from the English yoke, nevertheless a blow dealt at the British intruders in Egypt and intended to help the Egyptians to recover their freedom would be a blow struck for a cause closely related to that of Ireland.”
Another paper read as follows: