26 August 1867 • Yalta, Russia (Transcript: CU-MARK, UCCL 09123)
Whereas we the undersigned fellow passengers of the Steamer Quaker City, appreciating your kindness in affording us an opportunity to visit the Emperor of Russia at Yalta—
Resolved, That we thereby acknowledge the great favour and tender you our sincere thanks. 1explanatory note
W. ⒶemendationE. James Mrs. T. D. Crocker Ⓐemendation Mary M. Fairbanks Susan Gibson E. A. Severance Mrs. J. H. Payne Ⓐemendation Mrs. S. M. Griswold Sam L. Clemens C. D. Chadeyne James G. Barry Julius Moulton Wm. R. Denny Fred P. ⒶemendationJenkins Nina Larrowe T. D. Crocker Wm. Gibson Mr. P. Kinney S. ⒶemendationN. Sanford James H. Payne J. W. Davis Wm. F. Church C.J. ⒶemendationLangdon Stephen M. Griswold R. Bell Thomas B. Nesbit Lucius Moody B. B. Nesbit2explanatory noteDaniel Leary joined the excursion in part because he hoped it would bring him an opportunity to sell the ship (his asking price was £50,000, or $250,000, although he was willing to accept “something less”) (Leary to Arthur Leary, 1 July 67, transcript, CU-MARK, in Leary, 200). By his own account, Leary was instrumental in arranging the visit to the tsar:
We arrived this morning from Yalta, the summer residence of the Emperor of Russia, and a fashionable watering place for the Russian nobility. I was induced to go there in the hope that the steamer might tempt the Emperor to purchase as I understood that he had no extra vessel to carry his suits when he travels, and the Quaker would suit very well for this. I had telegraphed from Odessa at the suggestion of the Governor there to the Governor at Yalta, announcing my intention to visit the Emperor, so when we arrived an aide of the Governor came out to receive us, and invited me ashore to call on the Governor General, who said the Emperor would receive us the next day at the palace, which he did in a most cordial manner. (Leary to Arthur Leary, 30 Aug 67 misdated 29 Aug, transcript, CU-MARK, in Leary, 200–201)
According to William E. James’s letter to the Brooklyn Eagle, during the reception of 26 August Leary tried to persuade the tsar to visit the ship:
The tsar stood there awhile, looking ill at ease and nervous, and finally turned to get to the rest of the party to speak to them, but was headed off by Leary, who would post himself directly in front of him, with his mouth wide open, showing his teeth, and putting his hand on his shoulder, urging him to come on board; three times was this repeated. (James, no page)
The tactic failed: although the tsar agreed to visit the ship on 27 August provided the weather was calm, he did not appear. In his stead, however, several Russian dignitaries did, and Leary pursued his goal with them:
Prince Dolgozonxy i.e., Dolgoruky with whom I dined just before told me the truth about the matter that it was contrary to established custom for the Emperor to visit vessels. Of course I could not talk with the Emperor about the sale of the ship, as he would at once have thought that was my object in visiting him, but I sounded Admiral Glassenapp on the subject who visited on board. He said the Emperor was having two yachts built at St. Petersburg and that I could do nothing as they were in favor of iron vessels.... The time taken at Yalta will be deducted from the Holy Land, 3 days. Still these outside excursions cost considerable money, but there seemed a good chance of doing something and I did not wish to omit anything that might result in a sale. (Leary to Arthur Leary, 30 Aug 67, transcript, CU-MARK, in Leary, 201)
Leary also tried, unsuccessfully, to sell the ship to Ismail Pasha, viceroy of Egypt (Solon L. Severance to A. B. Paine, 13 Mar 1912, Davis 1967, 3). See also 12 Dec 67 to Fairbanks, n. 4click to open letter.
Transcript, Mark Twain Papers, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley (CU-MARK). The transcript is a carbon copy of a typescript prepared by Lewis Leary from another transcript, now lost, presumably made from the original document by retired Columbia University administrator Philip M. Hayden. (Hayden mistakenly thought that Lewis Leary was related to Daniel D. Leary.) The petition of thanks was almost certainly not composed by Clemens, nor was it in his hand, except for the signature.
L2 , 86–87; Previous publication: Leary, 202.
deposited at CU-MARK on 18 September 1967. On the assumption that the names were signatures, and therefore difficult to transcribe accurately, we have emended the transcript to restore the likely correct reading of the lost original.