The Case of the Caroline - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 14:27, 12 November 2025

2025-11-12T14:27:24Z

TCDE-Team at 23:17, 17 May 2023

2023-05-17T23:17:25Z

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''The Case of the Caroline'' is a letter written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in the [[The Times]] on 28 november 1904, and in the USA press of the same day.

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== Editions ==

* in ''[[The Times]]'' (28 november 1904 [UK])
* in ''[[The New-York Times]]'' (28 november 1904 [US]) as ''Conan Doyle Hits Britain''
* in ''[[The Chicago Tribune]]'' (28 november 1904 [US]) as ''England False to Her Allies''
* in ''[[The St. Louis Republic]]'' (28 november 1904 [US]) as ''Gives Warning to English''
* in ''[[The Sun (Baltimore)]]'' (29 november 1904 [US]) as ''Perfidious Albion: Conan Doyle Fears England is Playing False to Japs''

== The Case of the Caroline ([[The Times]]) ==
[[File:The-Times-1904-11-28-case-caroline.jpg|250px|right|thumb|The Times (28 november 1904)]]

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir, — Statements have been made in the papers, all of them uncontradicted, and some of them confirmed, that two gentlemen, a Mr. Sinnett and a Mr. Roche, were concerned in running a torpedo-boat out of the Thames and handing it over to the Russians.

I would ask if there is no law to touch these men who have caused us to break the law of nations. If there is not, then there is a grievous want in our Code which should be speedily amended.

We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war. I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo-boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes that we are following our worst traditions.

Yours faithfully,

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. 
Undershaw, Hindhead, Haslemere, Nov. 25.

== Conan Doyle Hits Britain ([[The New-York Times]]) ==
[[File:The-New-York-Times-1904-11-28-cd-hits-britain.jpg|250px|right|thumb|[[The New-York Times]] (28 november 1904)]]

He Says Japan Is Right to Regard Her as an Unstable Ally.

LONDON. Monday, Nov. 28. — Sir A. Conan Doyle, in a letter to The Times, asks if there is no law to touch the men who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene, and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war.

"I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coal, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes we are following our worst traditions."

== England False to Her Allies ([[The Chicago Tribune]]) ==
[[File:the-chicago-tribune-1904-11-28-p2-england-false-to-her-allies.jpg|thumb|300px|right|[[The Chicago Tribune]] (28 november 1904, p. 2)]]

'''Conan Doyle Writes a Letter Reproaching Britain for Permitting Citizens to Aid Russia.'''

LONDON, Nov. 28. 3 a.m. — [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir A. Conan Doyle]], in a letter to the [[The Times|Times]], asks if there is no law to touch the men, who it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war.

"I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes we are following our worst traditions."

== Gives Warning to English ([[The St. Louis Republic]]) ==
[[File:the-st-louis-republic-1904-11-28-p5-gives-warning-to-english.jpg|250px|right|thumb|[[The St. Louis Republic]] (28 november 1904)]]

'''A. Conan Doyle Says Great Britain Is Unstable Ally.'''

London, Nov. 27. — Sir A. Conan Doyle, in a letter to the Times, asks if there is no law to touch the men who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war. I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo-boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes that we are following our worst traditions."

== Perfidious Albion ([[The Sun (Baltimore)]]) ==
[[File:the-sun-baltimore-1904-11-29-p2-perfidious-albion.jpg|250px|right|thumb|[[The Sun (Baltimore)]] (29 november 1904)]]

'''Conan Doyle Fears England Is Playing False To Japs.'''

London, Nov. 28. — Sir A. Conan Doyle, in a letter to the Times, asks if there is no law to touch the man who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene, and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war. I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes that we are following our worst traditions."

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* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:27, 12 November 2025
Line 38:		Line 38:
	LONDON. Monday, Nov. 28. — Sir A. Conan Doyle, in a letter to The Times, asks if there is no law to touch the men who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:		LONDON. Monday, Nov. 28. — Sir A. Conan Doyle, in a letter to The Times, asks if there is no law to touch the men who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

	<~~span class="~~q">"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene, and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war.</~~span~~>		<q>"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene, and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coal, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes we are following our worst traditions."</~~span~~>		<q>"I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coal, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes we are following our worst traditions."</q>


Line 50:		Line 50:
	LONDON, Nov. 28. 3 a.m. — [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\|Sir A. Conan Doyle]], in a letter to the [[The Times\|Times]], asks if there is no law to touch the men, who it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:		LONDON, Nov. 28. 3 a.m. — [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\|Sir A. Conan Doyle]], in a letter to the [[The Times\|Times]], asks if there is no law to touch the men, who it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

	<~~span class="~~q">"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war.</~~span~~>		<q>"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes we are following our worst traditions."</~~span~~>		<q>"I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes we are following our worst traditions."</q>


Line 60:		Line 60:
	'''A. Conan Doyle Says Great Britain Is Unstable Ally.'''		'''A. Conan Doyle Says Great Britain Is Unstable Ally.'''

	London, Nov. 27. — Sir A. Conan Doyle, in a letter to the Times, asks if there is no law to touch the men who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:		London, Nov. 27. — [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\|Sir A. Conan Doyle]], in a letter to the [[The Times\|Times]], asks if there is no law to touch the men who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

	<~~span class="~~q">"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war. I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo-boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes that we are following our worst traditions."</~~span~~>		<q>"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war. I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo-boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes that we are following our worst traditions."</q>


Line 70:		Line 70:
	'''Conan Doyle Fears England Is Playing False To Japs.'''		'''Conan Doyle Fears England Is Playing False To Japs.'''

	London, Nov. 28. — Sir A. Conan Doyle, in a letter to the Times, asks if there is no law to touch the man who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:		London, Nov. 28. — [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\|Sir A. Conan Doyle]], in a letter to the [[The Times\|Times]], asks if there is no law to touch the man who, it is alleged, ran the torpedo boat Caroline to Libau, adding:

	<~~span class="~~q">"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene, and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war. I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes that we are following our worst traditions."</~~span~~>		<q>"We have earned throughout our history the reputation of being an unstable ally. We abandoned Prince Eugene, and we abandoned Frederick the Great in the midst of a joint war. I can forgive a Japanese who, seeing us run a torpedo boat to Russia, supply the Russian fleet with Welsh coals, and allow that fleet to coal at Port Said, believes that we are following our worst traditions."</q>