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Visit to Scotland 1879

From: Ian Thompson <ian.thompson~at~ges.gla.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:37:41 +0000
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

I recently returned to the Scottish National Archives to look again at
the Port of Leith Register for 1879 to compare the entry information
with what Verne recorded in his carnets.
Verne records that he arrived in Leith (port of Edinburgh) in the St.
Michel III on June 13th and departed on the 20th (after his visit to the
Hebridean islands). The weather was so bad that he had to shelter in the
Firth of Forth that night. He returned to the port of Leith on the 21st
to wait for better weather. This account corresponds exactly with the
port register.
The arrival of the St Michel is recorded on June 13th as is the
departure on the 20th, but then in rather small writing it is recorded
that the yacht returned on the 21st and departed on the 22nd June. This
is not a separate entry but has just been pencilled in under the initial
entry.
The explanation for this is that as a "pleasure yacht in ballast" Verne
did not have to pay any port dues (Leith was essentially a freight port
and charges were made according to the tonnage of the vessel and the
tonnage of the cargo). So whoever was recording traffic, simply added
the 21-22nd to the original entry rather than making a new record.
There is absolutely no reason to question the accuracy of Verne's
carnets but it is useful to have this kind of independent confirmation.
Ian Thompson
Received on Thu 17 Dec 2009 - 18:37:52 IST

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