Hard to find book, published around 1901.
With Reports & Accounts for 3 voyages, 2 to South Africa (Boer War) & 1 to China

Wightman Mountain & Andrews Ltd (Printers)
London nd. (c.1901)
72 + 11pp.
Illustrated
Measures approx: 8.5″ x 11.5″

The Maine was originally the Atlantic Transport Line steamer Swansea, renamed in 1899 and loaned to the British Government as a hospital ship for use in the Boer War (two voyages) and one voyage to China (Boxer Rebellion).

During November and December 1899 the ship was refitted as a hospital ship by Messrs. Fletcher, Son & Fearnall Ltd. at Limehouse Reach on the Thames. The conversion cost of more than £41,000 was met by the American Ladies Hospital Ship Fund. Mr. Baker paid for the crew and other operating expenses while it remained in government service.

Lady Randolph Churchill, (née Jennie Jerome), Winston Churchill’s mother was the Chairman of the American Ladies Hospital Ship Fund. To raise funds for this campaign, they struck a medallion and, I have read, mounted these silver medals as brooches for women to wear.

The ship, now re-titled the A.H.S. (American Hospital Ship) Maine, left England on 24 December 1899 arriving in Durban on 31 January 1900. Lady Churchill was on board, serving as a nursing aid. The ship remained in Durban harbour for the next two months serving as a Base Hospital Ship. One of the casualties treated was Lady Churchill’s younger son, Major John Strange Spencer Churchill, who had been wounded at Tugela Heights during the British advance towards Ladysmith. Her elder son, Winston Spencer Churchill (later Britain’s leader during the Second World War) was a war correspondent and had gained considerable fame earlier on in the war after his capture by the Boers and subsequent escape from imprisonment in Pretoria.

The A.H.S. Maine left Durban on 17 March 1900 reaching Southampton on 23 April with the sick and wounded. She sailed from Southampton for a second voyage to South Africa on 5 May 1900. After a little over a week in Table Bay, Cape Town, she returned to her home port on 2 July. Her third, and last, major ocean voyage was to China where Britain and America were engaged in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion. On 12 July 1900 she sailed from Southampton for China where she performed various duties, arriving back on 13 January 1901.

This book contains reports and accounts relating to all three voyages including Lady Randolph Churchill’s 15 page report dated April 27th, 1900.

Paper covered boards imitation vellum.
With the American flag, Red Cross flag and Union Jack on the front board.
A near fine copy preserved in a beautiful quarter navy blue morocco solander case with navy blue buchram boards by Zaehnsdorf.

Item #316