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APRIL 23-27 1912 LETTER W/PM REFERS TITANIC, LIFE BOATS, OCEAN NAVIGATION, SPEED

$ 232.26

Availability: 100 in stock
  • Modified Item: No
  • All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
  • Condition: April 23-27 1912 letter written by Philip Peabody in London to his daughter Olive in Boston. Peobody seems to have traveled extensively via ocean liner, and seemed to be responding to his daughter's queries about the Titanic disaster, lifeboats, navigation at sea and the Senate Inquiry into the Titanic disaster. Senator Alden's Smith's witness examination is deemed "ridiculous" "ignorant" and "antic" - making Americans the laughing stock of the world."

    Description

    FANTASTIC! One-Of-A-Kind Letter written London April 23-27, 1912 referencing the Titanic disaster. Envelope has two halfpenny stamps is is postmarked London, April 27, 1912
    A very rare opportunity to purchase an original letter written by a frequent ocean liner traveler to his daughter dealing with, among other things, the Titanic disaster, the Senate inquiry into the disaster, ocean navigation, speed of liners ("speedy vs. steady and reliable"), and fear of collision leading to boarding of lifeboats. The letter comprises three individual pages, written on both sides to comprise six pages of script. It was written over the course of four days, April 23-27, 1912. Here are some of the excerpts: a speed of 23 knots is not "especially fast......a new ship of that speed they consider steady and reliable, rather than fast". He states that "I rather thought the Captain would conceal the 'Titanic disaster'. I think he was right in so doing, too." Regarding the Senate inquiry into the disaster he states "Much ridicule is aroused here (in London) by the silly, ignorant antics of the Senator, [Alden] Smith, who is trying to conduct an investigation. 'What is an iceberg?' 'Where does it come from?' are two of his questions. They ask me here 'Why does your government appoint an ignorant man like this Smith to conduct an important investigation? You have plenty of great men but this makes your country a laughing stock all over the world.'" Regarding his own lifeboat experience, he says "It was the night we left Lisbon that the life boats were made ready for use - it rolled so heavily. I do not see why our Captain feared collision with other ships: there was no fog that I remember at that time."
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