"And how they opened their ports to me: Leith, Port Victoria, Folkestone were as free to the _Hohenzollern_ as Piccadilly Circus.
"The next time I visit Edward I will drive my yacht right up above Tilbury. See if I don’t."
"Poor devil of a pilot," mocked Count Wedell.
"Now, don’t credit the English War Office with more circumspection than the average German schoolboy has," guffawed Wilhelm; "the pilot will probably get the V.C., and I promise Tirpitz some astounding information for, while on the bridge, I will pump the pilot dry—absolutely dry.
"I really worked hard for your department," concluded Wilhelm; "now show that you can follow my lead."
"Perhaps Majesty favours establishment of semaphores on the British coast on a larger scale."
"After we prohibited the keeping of carrier pigeons in the neighbourhood of German naval stations? No, _Herr Graf_, I am not dispensing meal tickets to penny-a-liners just now. Think of something new, something Ballin can do for us."
"I submit that cheap excursions to English harbours and seaside resorts, arranged by the Hamburg line during the holiday season——"
"I take it all back," cried Wilhelm. "You are earning your salary, Wedell. Capital idea. The Naval Intelligence Service shall subscribe for a hundred berths, sending its most expert photographers, topographers, surveyors, fortification experts and naval men. In mufti, of course, and you will have men on board to spot fools that betray their official connections. Tell Ballin I want some of his largest steamers for this service, so that my army and my navy men get well lost in the crowd. The larger the crowd, the more men of military age and reservists, of course."
"I have to," said the War Lord. "And make a note of it. Amateur photography is to be encouraged in the schools, the press, in society. No use sending crowds of Germans to England unless they bring back plenty of photographic evidence relating to the enemy coast and land defences. As a special inducement, Ballin shall have a dark-room on board and develop films free of charge. In that way we will get duplicates of everything."
"I beg to submit," said Wedell, "there is still another aspect to Your Majesty’s enlightened prospect."