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Re: Paul Verne arrested in Malta!

From: Peter Harold <haroldmania~at~yahoo.se>
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 09:28:27 +0200 (CEST)
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>

Bravo, Ian!

I recall there was doubts if it was Maurice or Gaston
who took part on this journey. You got the evidence!
Good work!

Best regards
Peter Harold




--- Ian Thompson <ithompson~at~geog.gla.ac.uk> skrev:

> I have had the good fortune to discover a previously
> unreported document concerning Verne's visit to
> Malta aboard the St Michel III in June 1884. This
> proves that the conventional biographical accounts
> of this visit are inaccurate. The reported accounts
> state that stormbound in the Gozo channel, Verne
> hoisted distress signals and attracted the attention
> of a pilot who guided them to Valletta for repairs.
> However, a report sent by the Port Superintendent,
> dated June 24th for the attention of the island's
> Governor tells a very different study. In fact, the
> St Michel was anchored in a creek off the west coat
> and Verne put ashore his brother Paul and nephew
> Maurice in search of a pilot. They were very quickly
> arrested for being in breach of quarantine and were
> held in Mellieha police station. Meanwhile, with
> rising winds, Verne was obliged to weigh anchor and
> sail to Valletta (presumably without a pilot?)
> leaving Paul and Maurice behind. I believe that this
> document is sufficiently important for me to
> reproduce it in full.
>
> Port Department,
> Malta, 20th June 1884
> To The Honorable Walter Hely Hutchinson CMG,
> Chief Secretary to Government.
>
> Sir,
> I have the honor to report, for the
> information of his Excellency the Governor, that
> yesterday, at about 2.30pm, information was conveyed
> to this office by a Policeman from Mellieha that two
> persons alleged to have landed from a yacht in the
> bay "Redum el Kammich (on the west side of this
> Island) were kept in custody at the Melleha Police
> Station.
> Later on, at about 3.30.the French Yacht "
> St. Michel", from Tunis, with six passengers,
> arrived in the Grand Harbour, and the owner, Monr.
> Jules Verne, reported to the Boarding Officer, Mr
> Staines, that the day before, on account of strong
> easterly wind, he was compelled to anchor under the
> lee side of the island; - that the following morning
> (yesterday) as the wind was still blowing from the
> same quarter, he sent his brother Paul with his son
> on shore is search of a pilot and provisions; and
> that shortly afterwards the wind shifted suddenly to
> the westward, which compelled him to weigh anchor,
> thus leaving his brother and son ashore.
> As arrivals from Tunis are admitted to pratique
> here, directions were immediately given for the
> release of the two persons aforementioned.
> I have, however, to submit that it appears to
> me strange that the Coastguards stationed at Torre
> Rossa which commands a view of the bay "Redum il
> Kammich" in which the yact anchored, should have
> failed to notice the approach of the vessel and the
> landing of the persons aforementioned.
> I have the honor to
> be,
> Sir,
> Your most obedient,
> Humble servant
> Signature
> Superintendent
>
> Clearly this version of events, which is undoubtedly
> accurate, differs fundamentally from that reported
> by M Allotte de la Fuye and Jean Jules Verne and
> subsequently widely accepted as authentic in other
> biographies. We know that facts that showed Verne in
> a less than glorious way were
> concealed/omitted/amended in early biographies. It
> would be interesting to know what Verne himself
> recorded in his carnet de voyage! Certainly the
> arrest of Paul, albeit temporary, might have been
> considered sensitive.
> I also have a second document relating into an
> official inquiry into the competence of the Maltese
> coastguards. It contains topographical detail of
> where Verne anchored which I need to check on a
> detailed local map and will then post.
> I am grateful to the Archivist of Malta for giving
> access to these documents.
> Any reactions to this discovery are welcome.
> Ian Thompson
>
>
> .
>
Received on Mon 15 Aug 2005 - 10:28:34 IDT

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