Lot 54A
Doyle A. Conan 1838 - 1930 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes, jocular ALS noting he has "literary designs on the Huns"
One and one half page ALS, 5" x 8", on tan bi- fold stationary with the letterhead of The Esplanade Hotel in Seaford, Sussex. Signed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as "A. Conan Doyle". Slight crease to upper left corner, with slight 1/2" separation along fold.
A humorous ALS penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to Dr. Ernest, poking fun at a German translation of his literary writing in which the translation made "some absurd mistakes. He had translated a sniper (i.e. a solitary rifleman) as a "Gutter-snipe" or Street gamin, so that it read as if I were discussing whether all the Gamins be put to death in the future./ I want to have a charge with you about the Huns some day, I have literary designs upon them" Dr. Ernest was the London representative of the Viennese newspaper, Neues Tagblatt. The two corresponded frequently during and about the War in South Africa, The Boer War, and Doyle offered numerous pieces for his newspaper. However his final written work on the subject, The War in South Africa: Its Causes and Conduct, although one of the lesser known works by Doyle, was a work of vast importance for him. It was his research on the war, and his resulting final publication that culminated in King Edward VII wanted to make Arthur Conan Doyle a knight bachelor!
Relatively unknown today, The Boer War, also known as the South African War, broke out in 1899. The governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State banded together against Great Britain. The issue of contention was control of the area’s mining and farming resources. The difference in manpower was so great that Great Britain expected the war to be a short and relatively easy one. They were wrong. The war lasted from 1899 to 1902 and many lives were lost. However the fiasco which destroyed and tarnished the British image was that both during and after the war the Boers accused the British of war crimes. The British were accused of participating in rape, torture and the establishment of concentration camps.
Although there was no official response from the British government against these charges, Conan Doyle was so concerned that he took it upon himself to defend the actions of his countrymen. He stated, “In view of the persistent slanders to which our politicians and our soldiers have been equally exposed, it becomes a duty which we owe to our national honour to lay the facts before the world.” Conan Doyle, familiar with the subject of the Boer War had traveled to South Africa to serve as a doctor in a medical unit treating British troops and upon his return researched and wrote The Great Boer War and later published The War in South Africa: Its Causes and Conduct, Conan Doyle responded to all of the charges leveled against the British. The work was a success. It was widely read and public opinion about Great Britain’s conduct in the Boer Was softened. As a result of this contribution to his country’s welfare Conan Doyle was notified that King Edward VII wanted to make him a knight bachelor. Of course this was just a brief detour from his career as a literary genius with his writings of his famous adventures of his beloved character, Sherlock Holmes.
A fantastic lengthy ALS from an important period of Doyle's life.
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