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The Biography
From: <spaceart~at~att.net>
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2006 13:05:11 +0000
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>
I just received a copy of the new biography, for which I am very grateful. Thanks! I started reading it immediately and found that I couldn't put it down. (Well, actually, I have, but only temporarily...)
As an author I found myself gnashing my teeth while reading of Verne's contracts with Hetzel. Not so much because of what an unmitigated villain Hetzel was, but at my utter perplexity at why Verne would enter into such agreements in the first place, let along prolong them.
In any event, I hope to get a review or two of the book sent off to a couple of magazines shortly.
Congratulations on a splendid effort!
Ron
PS---
Le Geant wasn't a hot air balloon.
PPS---
As someone who takes 20K as personally as I do, I find myself gazing dreamily into space at the thought of seeing the "real" 20K in print someday. Might make an interesting JVF/NAJVS project, to transcribe, translate and then publish the book via a POD provider such as Lulu.com... At least it's something to sigh over...
attached mail follows:
Bonsoir Philippe!
Agreed that he may have gone to Bordeaux by regular passenger steamer, but
it is not entirely clear because what he wrote was: “ My brother was [in
Bordeaux], and I couldn’t resist the pleasure of going to fetch [chercher]
him by sea and bringing him back by sea… A trip of 5 or 6 days is better
than nothing. And, you know, you can’t have a fine sea-trip without a bit of
ocean”.
For the MS of 20T, I’ve cut and pasted from my biography below.
Warm regards,
Bill
wbutchernetvigator.com
http://home.netvigator.com/~wbutcher/
1/F, 46A, Lung Mei Village, Taipo, Hong Kong
As if to balance this, several scenes of peace and harmony occur as the
submarine approaches Le Crotoy. Verne cannot resist taking his submarine
past his birthplace and into the "flat <\!p>.<\!p>.<\!p>. sandy valley
<\!p>.<\!p>.<\!p>. between Britain and France." After keeping "quite close
to the coast of north-west France," it enters the Le Havre area and the bay
on which Verne was writing:
BLOCKQUOTE
By evening, we had covered the whole of the Channel between Brest and the
mouth of the Seine <\!p>.<\!p>.<\!p>. the lights of La Hève sent us their
electric brilliance. I recognized the magnificent cliffs of Cape Antifer,
which took on a fantastic appearance as night fell: the limestone strata,
dotted with clumps of grass, produced an interminable procession of strange
figures, queens of the middle ages arranged with the roughness of the old
painters, a Cimabue or a Mantegna <\!p>.<\!p>.<\!p>. At about midnight, we
passed near the Bay of the Somme, whose 10,000 hectares of sand are covered
by the rising tide (MS2 127).
END BLOCKQUOTE
After this visit to Verne's home patch, the submarine finally forms part of
a scene of happy dawn and sunny tranquility, whose existence has never been
suspected:
BLOCKQUOTE
The Nautilus was floating a few miles from land, to starboard. A hot day was
in store. The sky was white, the air calm. Not a breath of wind. On the sea
small regular ripples created crisscrossing diamond shapes. The sun picked
them out in sparkling points. The water, like liquid emerald, heaved in
broad waves that the Nautilus did not even feel. In the quivering haze, a
few far-off fishing boats and two or three coastal luggers with flaccid
sails faded indistinctly away. The smoke from a steamer traced a motionless
cloud on the backdrop of the sky (MS2 128–29).
END BLOCKQUOTE
In both scenes, Verne reveals his powerful visual imagination, stimulated by
the natural complexities and the artists he mentions. The impression is
given that he wishes to bring the Nautilus surging up in front of his
garden-shed. What seems incredible is that these two descriptions are the
only ones of his native land in his first 30 novels. In sum, we can greatly
regret the fine visions of a Nautilus moving under and over a tranquil and
harmonious sea, if only because we know how important the English Channel
was for Verne.
The Nautilus then sights the lights of North Foreland, at the tip of Kent,
and Great Yarmouth, in East Anglia. As it moves up the North Sea, Aronnax
plans to "land in Scotland." It's not really on their route, but as in
several other novels, Verne cannot resist the idea of heading back to his
beloved Caledonia.
_____
From: owner-jvfGilead.org.il [mailto:owner-jvfGilead.org.il] On Behalf Of
Valetoux
Sent: Monday, 05 June, 2006 5:31 PM
To: Jules Verne Forum
Subject: Nantes/Bordeaux 1866
Morning, Bill!
For this trip, please, refer to my book page 57.
Paul left Nantes for Bordeaux (probably by train) at the end of august 1866.
Jules imagine to visit his brother, but by travelling from Nantes to
Bordeaux by sea. Don't forget he has this previous experience in 1859 for
the "Voyage à reculons": "...Jacques and Jonathan were on bord...Jacques was
looking the engine-room, where the boiler was roaring...He contemplated
these powerful cylinders and pistons...". At that time, there were regular
maritime connexions between the 2 ports (today, we would speak about
"ferries"). Jules wrote that normally, it took 24 hours. That's normal,
considering the distance, for a commercial ship, half sailing, half
steaming. Jules wrote: " I cannot resist to the pleasure of travelling by
sea, go and back by sailing. A trip of 5 or 6 days, that's good! And no
good voyage without a portion of ocean...". The brothers stood at Bordeaux
longer that supposed (12 days) and came back through the same way: a ferry
to Nantes. But due to bad weather (The Biscay is famous as a devil hole),
this voyage was very hard and longer as usual. Jules wrote: "...ah! We had a
wonderful come-back by sea! A strong gale, the ship quite grounded... well,
a true storm said my brother, a true seaman as you know. We had 60 hours
delay...".
So, this trip has nothing to see with the Saint Michel, which was not built
at that time, and later has never sailed on the atlantic coast. Considering
distances and speed, this is not a navigation of yachtman. For the moment, i
have not found the name of the passage ships used by the brothers, but i
think it will come one day.
One question on my side now: you told me, there is a description of Antifer
cape, La Hève and baie de somme in 20000 leagues manuscript. I have not
found such words in my exemplary. Can you give me precisions?
Best regards,
Philippe
-------Message original-------
De : wbutcher <mailto:wbutcher~at~netvigator.com>
Date : 06/05/06 10:23:50
A : 'Jules Verne <mailto:jvf~at~Gilead.org.il> Forum'
Sujet : RE: Réf. : Saint Michel I...66/67/68???
Philippe,
I am convinced by your arguments that the St M I was a new boat, built in
1868. But Verne sailed before that year, eg to Bordeaux to fetch Paul: what
vessel(s) did he use?
Bill
wbutchernetvigator.com
http://home.netvigator.com/~wbutcher/
1/F, 46A, Lung Mei Village, Taipo, Hong Kong
_____
From: owner-jvfGilead.org.il [mailto:owner-jvfGilead.org.il] On Behalf Of
Valetoux
Sent: Monday, 05 June, 2006 4:08 PM
To: Jules Verne Forum
Subject: Réf. : Saint Michel I...66/67/68???
Dear Christian,
You are looking on Saint Michel I and you are surprised by so many versions!
You are right, main autors have no real informations and copy, with more and
less accuracy, the previous books.
As seaman, i have been shocked by wrong, stupid or romantic informations
about Jules'navigations and ships. That 's why i decided to publish my book,
speaking mainly of that point and not about the books he wrote. So may i
suggest you to read "Jules Verne, en mer et contre tous", based on a long
research (11 years) in maritime archives?
About the Saint Michel I, the administratives informations are rare, because
all the original and official documents in Saint Valéry have burned during
WWII. But Saint Michel I has been sold later to a Le Havre yachtman, and
there are documents remaining.
This ship is not a second hand or modified one, this is a new boat built by
Asselin shipyard. The construction is traditionnal, as for all fishing boats
built there. Rigging and accomodation are a little bit different as this
ship will be used for cruising. Jules was helped by a friend who design
drawings and survey the construction. This fellow was Paul Bos, a
professionnal captain sailing for a Le Havre company. The year of building
is without any doubt possible 1868.
There is actually no document to give the exact day of launching, but we
know by 2 letters that in march 1868, the building was on, and that on the
3th june, Jules made a run test. So, launching was on end of may 1868. As
usual, Allotte said that the ship was named Saint Michel during an official
ceremony, but i never succeed to get a proof, neither in the news, neither
in church archives.
So , dear friend, i hope that you have now a better idea of Saint Michel I.
Quite a "rustic" yacht, but for Jules, a major boat, as his first personnal
ship. And he has done bravery navigation, cruising without GPS, radio
and...engine! Maritime congratulations, captain Jules!
Yours faithfully,
Valetoux Philippe
Le Havre pilot
-------Message original-------
De : Cristian <mailto:destro777~at~hotmail.com> Tello
Date : 06/04/06 20:34:21
A : jvfGilead.org.il <mailto:jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
Sujet : Saint Michel I...66/67/68???
Dear friends
I've been investigating the date in which the Saint Michel I was bought by
Verne, so searching in the web, I see that there exist different versions of
the year of the buying. They mention some, 1866, other 1867 and until 1868.
Are here the references:
1866:
<http://perso.orange.fr/assoc.lorient.ccsti/Archives/souslesmers/histoire/hi
stoire1.htm>
http://perso.orange.fr/assoc.lorient.ccsti/Archives/souslesmers/histoire/his
toire1.htm
Un bureau sur la mer
En 1866, après ses premiers succès, il loue une maison au Crotoy, dans
l’estuaire de la somme, et bientôt achète son premier bateau baptisé du
prénom de son fils : Le saint Michel I.
1867:
<http://www.baiedesomme.org/html/fr/recherche/Documents.asp?step=3&ID=147>
http://www.baiedesomme.org/html/fr/recherche/Documents.asp?step=3&ID=147
Le premier bâteau de Jules Verne : le " Saint Michel I "
1867 - Ayant toujours la nostalgie de la mer, Jules Verne loue une villa au
Crotoy et achète son premier bateau : le "Saint Michel 1 ".
<http://www.peterlanczak.de/stmichel.htm>
http://www.peterlanczak.de/stmichel.htm
Im Jahre 1867 kaufte Jules Verne sein erstes Schiff in Le Crotoy: Die SAINT
MICHEL 1.
1868:
<http://www.j-verne.de/verne_maritim01.html>
http://www.j-verne.de/verne_maritim01.html
Andreas Fehrmann says:
1868 wurde sein erstes Segelbootes, die »Saint-Michel« fertiggestellt. Mit
der >Saint Michel<,
<http://kervoyal.club.fr/documents/bayvilain/b-vernes.htm>
http://kervoyal.club.fr/documents/bayvilain/b-vernes.htm
Mais toujours la possession d'un bateau le travaille, rêve qu'il ne
réalisera qu'en 1868 avec son premier Saint Michel.
<http://www.savoirs.essonne.fr/dossiers/le-patrimoine/histoire-des-sciences/
article/type/0/intro/les-tribulations-du-capitaine-verne/chapitre/le-saint-m
ichel/>
http://www.savoirs.essonne.fr/dossiers/le-patrimoine/histoire-des-sciences/a
rticle/type/0/intro/les-tribulations-du-capitaine-verne/chapitre/le-saint-mi
chel/
Le Saint-Michel
En 1868, les revenus de la "Géographie illustrée de la France et de ses
colonies" permettent à Jules Verne de faire lancer un bateau d’inspiration
locale, "construit sur les plans et sous les yeux d’un ami, l’un des
meilleurs capitaines du Havre".
******************************************************************
Being the dates so differents, I'd want to ask you, if you Know the real
year of the buy, 'cause I'm gonna include the history of the three ships of
Verne in Spanish in my web site.....
I'll wait you generous collaboration
Sincerely from Pery, Cristian Tello
<http://www.geocities.com/paginaverniana/ctd.htm>
http://www.geocities.com/paginaverniana/ctd.htm
_____
Consigue aquí las mejores y mas recientes ofertas de trabajo en América
Latina y USA: Haz clic <http://g.msn.com/8HMAES/2734??PS=47575> aquí
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Received on Mon 05 Jun 2006 - 21:47:07 IDT
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