Letter about German ships (6 january 1916)

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

This letter was written by Arthur Conan Doyle on 6 january 1916 from Windlesham, Crowborough to probably the Admiralty, with a suggestion to restock Britain's inventory of merchant shipping by buying German ones in Ameerica anonymously.


Letter

Jan 6 /16

Dear Sir

I had an idea recently which perhaps is worth sending on — since even if it is impracticable it can do no harm.

We are short of merchant shipping. Why should we not buy all the German ships in America's ports? It could no doubt be affected through an American intermediary without the seller knowing who the real purchaser was. It is trading with the enemy but if the value of the ships to us is greater for war purposes than the money to them it is surely good policy.

Pray excuse this intrusion,

Yours faithfully

A. Conan Doyle