A note they found in my effects was introduced as evidence. It read
as follows:
"The firm of William Beardmore and Co., Parkhead, Glasgow. B first
orders F new 13.5 guns F, Navy. Length 51 feet, weight 73 tons. One
foot longer than 12-inch, but 12 tons heavier. Weight of shot, 1,250
lb., 400 lb. more than the 12-inch gun."
The upshot of it was that the first day of the trial ended with
everybody positive that I would not be found guilty on the charge of
obtaining secret information about their guns. Of course all this
information I had obtained.
On the recess I was pleasantly surprised when a court orderly brought
me refreshments from the judge's own table with his Lordship's
compliments. It struck me that I was being treated more like a guest
than a prisoner.
The second day of the trial brought the Burroughs & Wellcome letter
into the testimony--the letter that had been refused me and had in
turn gone back to the Chemical Company. Very gravely Sir Anderson,
Crown Prosecutor, read the contents of this letter aloud. As I recall
the exact wording it was:
_Dear Sir:_
_We are pleased to learn of your successful negotiation of the
business at hand. Be pleased to send us an early sample. As regards
the other matter in hand I do not know how useful it will be to us: In
any case my firm is not willing to pay you more than 100 in this
case.
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