Note: the tab marked "Explanation" reveals the ending of the story. Do not view that if you are reading the story for the first time and do not want to spoil your enjoyment.
| Title: | The Adventure of the Naval Treaty | Collection: | The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year published: | 1893 (October) | Year set in: | |
| Mystery: | How was a valuable document stolen in a few minutes and by whom? | ||
| Apparent crime: | Theft | Actual crime: | Shown below (possible spoiler) |
| Summary: | A man is given the task of copying a valuable document. When he leaves the room for a few minutes, it is stolen. | ||
- Introduction
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Percy Phelps, who works at the Foreign Office, is given an important naval treaty to copy. He leaves it in his office for a moment to fetch some coffee during which the bell in the office is rung. When he returns to the room, the treaty has been stolen.
He falls ill for some weeks and, when he begins to recover, calls for help from Holmes.
- Actual crime
- Theft
- Explanation (spoiler alert)
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The treaty was stolen by the brother of Phelps' fiancée who had come to the office to meet him and discovered the treaty by chance.
- Quotations in this story (1)
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Quote "Of course you saw the J H monogram on my locket," said he. "For a moment I thought you had done something clever."
- Characters in this story (3)
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Surname First name Title Holmes Sherlock Phelps Percy Watson John Doctor
- Locations in this story (1)
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Location Town/City County 221b Baker Street London
- Other notes
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- Keywords
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naval treaty Foreign Office Percy Phelps Lord Holdhurst Briarbrae Woking Joseph Annie Harrison Charles Gorot commissionaire Tangey Forbes