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 effective „destructions“ undoubtedly were being accomplished by the revolutionary workers and peasants, supported, as I have explained, by the Russian Bolshevik Government). These words, „ “ made clear moreover,—in the clearest possible manner the exclusive  of M. de Vertamond's mission. The latter, in point of cynicism, was in not in the least behind Lieutenant Riley. He declared that he attempted, but without success, to blow up the bridge of Tcherepovetz (which would have had equally tragic consequences for Petrograd, Tcherepovetz being on the line Zvanka-Vologda-Viatka). Afterwards he expatiated on the measures which he had taken in order to effect the destruction of rolling stock and obstruct the principal railway lines. He explained specially that he had succeeded in obtaining valuable cooperation amongst the railway workers, but that this cooperation had an objection…that of preventing him from making use of certain improved appliances which were able to run the first train passing off its rails. The railway workers procured by him had, in fact, put the formal condition to their cooperation, that no trains carrying war material should be run off the rails. After this stupefying conversation which, I repeat had not provoked either on the part of M. Poole or M. Grenard the slightest objection, Lieutenant Riley concluded, in addressing himself to M. de Vertamond, that it was necessary for them „to divide the work“ and to act in close contact with each other, but with prudence and as much as possible „through the intermediary of women“, as the latter „roused suspicion much less easily“. Further, he added