He spoke several languages, including Polish, Russian, and Chinese, served his country during the Boxer Rebellion, and also worked as a journalist. During another famous rebellion, he placed his own cousin under surveillance. The agency he founded and directed is, today, very much in the news. Who was he?

vale70

This should be captain Vernon Kell (1873-1942), who could speak German, Italian, French, Polish and later learned Russian and Chinese. With the British Army, he fought during the Boxer Rebellion (1900) in China. In 1909, he co-founded the Secret Service Bureau, that later became the MI5, i.e. the British Security Service. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SSkell.htm Aug 10 06, 5:02 PM

lanfranco

Exactly, vale, so you get the silver mace. And when I said "today," I meant it literally. And from the U.S.: All hail to MI5 and to the other U.K. law enforcement agencies who thwarted the latest terrorist plans. Aug 10 06, 5:07 PM