THE RIDDLE OF THE SANDS
SIR,—Isn't it a fact that, apart from the melo- dramatic Dollmann and his daughter, The Riddle of the Sands is absolutely true in its account not only of a small yacht's cruise (and what a classical descHjStion it is!) but also of the discovery of a German plan to invade England? I seem to have heard some- where that Childers communicated his dis- covery to the Foreign Office, was disbelieved, and so decided to warn the English people of
the period of an invasion by writing up his account thinly disguised as fiction.
I was taught German by one of Childers's great personal friends who was reputed to be the original Carruthers. I regret that I did not take the opportunity of finding out more about this remarkable English and Irish patriot. I would be interested to hear of a good authori- tative biography of Childers. — Yours faithfully,
w. P. BROOKE-SMITH
Lattice Cottage, Progwell, Tiverton, Devon
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