The War Office has disposed of the persistent rumour that
the Hampshire,' with Lord Kitchener on board, was intercepted
by a ' boat off the Orkneys through the agency- of a German woman spy. This woman, named Elbie Boecier, has indeed boasted that she heard from a British officer of Lord Kitchener s departure for Russia and that she sent the news to Berlin. But the truth is that she was sent to gaol on May 8th, 1918-- four weeks before Lord Kitchener left London, and before any arrangements for his journey had been made—and that she was not released and deported until the following June 29th. She could not, therefore, have •had -anything to do with the -lees of
the Hampshire.' It is much to be regretted that the fable should have been given fresh currency by a new film, which seems, from all accounts, to be in the worst possible taste.
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