When I was doing my research into Blue Book magazine, one of the top quality pulps, I was surprised to learn that H. Bedford-Jones was not the magazine’s most prolific author. As Bedford-Jones was referred to as the “King of the Pulps” and Blue Book was his biggest market, I figured that to be the case.
Instead learned that that honor goes to Clarence Herbert New (1862-1933), whose main work was his “Free Lances in Diplomacy” series. This series started in the March 1910 issue and lasted until August 1933 — for about 275 stories. He wrote other series and stories as well to push him over Bedford-Jones’ 360 or so works for a total 389 stories.
But being so prolific doesn’t lead to long-term fame. Just look at Bedford-Jones.
While several books reprinted New’s work during his lifetime, today there is almost nothing that’s been reprinted. Except for Adventure House‘s High Adventure #159 and #163 that each reprint eight stories in this series, along with brief, one-page intros on him.
Each of the stories in the series is standalone, but all deal with the Diplomatic Free Lances. There appear to be four of them: George Trevor and his wife, Nan, Earl Lammerford of St. Ives, and Sir Abdool Mohammed Khan, but we mainly see the first two.
In some stories they never reveal their real names, operating entirely in disguise. They are “free lances” in that all decide to get involved in diplomatic matters on their own accord. This can be dealing with foreign (and hostile) governments or with hostile groups within their countries. They have been operating since WWI (probably earlier as the series starts in 1910).
George and Nan are Americans, but have a British titles: the earl and countess of Dyvnaint. Apparently Trevor gained a baroncy on the death of a cousin, and later was elevated to an earl for services to the U.K. (I assume during WWI). As I understand it, in 1924, he gave up the title as he is an American, but in a later story in 1926 (included in the second collection), he is persuaded to take back the title. We are also told in another that George is one of the wealthiest men in the world, and that he has mansions in London and Paris. His servants are noted a few times as being Afghan, so wonder if that was part of an early story.
It’s important to keep in mind what was going on in the world at the time these were written. These two issues reprint stories from the mid-1920s. The Great Depression had not yet hit. The Soviets were consolidating power in Russia, but some thought a counter-revolution might occur. Germany was trying to rebuild under the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty, but the Nazis hadn’t yet emerged. Mussolini was in power in Italy, but he wasn’t seen as a threat just yet. Japan was emerging as a power in Asia as China was going through turmoil. The politics of the day are thus a major part of these stories, as it’s not just international matters they get involved in, but sometime internal political matters, at least in England.
High Adventure #159 has eight stories that run from May 1925 to July 1926. The cover from the July 1921 issue of Blue Book is used. We get stories about Nan going undercover and learning what Germany is secretly doing to rebuild, what is going on with Soviet Russia, and a potential threat in Bessarabia (modern-day Moldovia), dealing with a college professor who seems to have an almost hypnotic power over his audiences. Earl Lammerford works to prevent the assassination of von Hindenberg, Nan looks into production of a textile firm and thwarts attempts by communists to slow things down.
High Adventure #163 has eight stories that run from May 1923 to December 1923. The cover from the April 1924 issue of Blue Book is used. We have a story set on a oceanliner where the Free Lances are disguised the whole time and deal with some “Mohammedans.” Earl Trevor provides the American government information on a secret French-Orient treaty. A group of cameramen who travel to Russia are given a false view of the country, until the Free Lances show them the truth. Nan has another solo adventure in a strange building in Paris. Radicals in the British Parliament hatch a plan to kidnap several lead officials, but make the mistake of also grabbing Earl Trevor. A plot by a pair of fake Russian envoys is fouled in another tale. American politics is the focus of another, when the Free Lances discover a man being put forth for the office of president is in fact a secret communist.
As noted, these aren’t your traditional spy stories. Yes, there are stories with people in disguise, putting their life at risk, but others are more political intrigue and what comes of that.
So please check these two out. Maybe if people ask, we might see a further collection or two. I’m curious to see stories from this series in pre-WWI, during WWI and in the 1930s as a contrast.
