[ Sir Archibald Spicer Hurd, naval authority. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('A S H.') to 'Mr Service' (of the publishers Seeley & Co.), complaining about the severity of a proposed contract for a series of articles.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Written in pencil. A long and interesting complaint, casting an interesting light on the journalistic practices of the period. Hurd begins without preamble, pointing out, with reference to a previous letter, that he 'never promised 35000 words', and stating that the publisher 'would doubtless be able to put in a few extra illustrations to fill it out'. Regarding a proposed 'libel clause' he states that 'it may be & is in fact only a matter of form but as Mr required no such undertaking when I agreed verbally to write the articles he trusting me as I trusted him & I cannot see any way now to sign any such undertaking'. He points out that he has never had such a request made to him, despite having 'had business with a large number of the principal publishers & have written for various publications of your <?> for years'. He concludes with the complaint: 'It seems to me that you are asking me to bind myself very severely down for a matter off £15'. Hurd was author of the official 'History of the Merchant Navy in the War of 1914-19' (under the auspices of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence), and of numerous other works on naval matters. He contributed numerous naval and other articles to the Fortnightly Review, Nineteenth Century, and other English and American publications. He was on the editorial staff of the Daily Telegraph from 1899 to 1928, and was Joint Editor of Brassey's Naval and Shipping Annual, 1922-28. His brother Sir Percy Angier Hurd (1864-1950) was also a journalist, and a Conservative MP for more than thirty years. His great-nephew is the former Tory cabinet minister Douglas Hurd.