The Da Vinci Code - Quotes

"Many have made a trade of delusions and false miracles deceiving the stupid mulitude."

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us, O' wretched mortals, open your eyes!."

Leonardo Da Vinci

Force 10 from Navarone

This map was part of the prelude to Alistair MacLean's Force 10 from Navarone, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1968. I am not sure whether the map has any historic significance.

“’80 percent of our air drops fall in German hands, but that is not important. Those supplies are militarily expendable. What are not expendable are the 7000 men under the command of General Vukalovic here, 7000 men trapped in an area called the Zenica Cage, 7000 starving men with almost no ammunition left, 7000 men with no future.’”

I recently acquired this volumne, a sequel to MacLean's "Guns of Navarone". It has already got its hook in me and so far it has been a good read.

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Updated on 8.16.25 @ 16:48. Added quote and contextual link.

Triangulation

Tomorrow never dies, James Bond.

They have used a triangulation technique to hone in on your location, 007.

The Representative of Data

"The core data began to emerge, exposed and vulnerable... "

Text from Burning Chrome, William Gibson, 1986; screenshot from Tomorrow never Dies.

Emperor Fu-Manchu

It has been awhile since my last encounter with his excellency Dr. Fu-Manchu.

Previously ->

"During the Cold War of the 1950s former allies Russia and China turned Communist. Their threat casting a shadow over the free world. Yet another enemy lurked in the shadows - the deadly secret assassin's of the Si Fan led by Dr. Fu-Manchu."

"In remote northern China, the dead walk again. An American agent, Tony MacKay finds himself face to face with these 'cold-men', zombies who exist to do the bidding of Fu-Manchu, the devil Doctor. "

Emperor Fu-Manchu, Sax Rohmer, © 1959

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

A Sherlock Holmes story with a slightly different narrative.

A List of Espionage Thrillers

Here's another list. This one of espionage thrillers found in text and film.

1. A Spy Who Came in from the Cold, John le Carrie
2. The Kremlin Letter, Noel Behn
3. The Billion Dollar Brain, Len Deighton
4. Funeral in Berlin, Len Deighton
5. An Expensive Place to Die, Len Deighton
6. A Dandy in Aspic, Derek Marlowe
7. Heirs of Cain, Abraham Rothberg
8. A Thousand Doors, Abraham Rothberg
9. The Looking Glass War, John Le Carrie
10. Hammerhead, James Mayo
11. Let Sleeping Girls Live, James Mayo

Illusions

"How does the fool build his paradise?-out of crumbling bricks of illusion and the watery cement of hope..."

"... Wasn't illusion a perfect suitable condition?"

The Games of X, Robert Sheckley, Dell Publishing, © 1965

The Secret Agent

The Secret Agent was three part British mini series around a story by Joseph Conrad by the same name. I have read quite a bit of Conrad's work. Although I don't remember where I first learned of Conrad's work; I am guessing that it must had been while at university.

Unfortunately a couple of innocent people had to lose their lives.

All screenshots are from The Secret Agent.

The Avengers

	The Avengers ’65 Set 1	The Avengers ’66 Set 1
Disk 1	1. The Town of no Return 2. The Gravediggers 3. The Cybernauts	1. Silent Dust 2. Room Without a View 3. Small Game for Big Hunters
Disk 2	1. Death at Bargain Prices 2. Castle DE’ATH 3. The Master Minds	1. The Girl from Auntie 2. The 13th Hole 3. Quick-Quick-Slow Death
	Avengers ‘65 Set 2	Avengers ‘66 Set 2
Disk 3	1. The Murder Market 2. Surfeit of H 2 0 3. The Hour that Never Was	1. The Danger Makers 2. A Touch of Brimstone 3. What the Butler Saw
Disk 4	1. Dial a Deadly Number 2. Man-Eater of Surrey Green 3. Two’s a Crowd Bonus Episode 4. Too Many Christmas Trees	1. The House that Jack Built 2. A Sense of History 3. How to Succeed …At Murder Bonus Episode 4. Honey for the Prince

The Avengers ran from 1961 through 1969. There two things a remember about my watching the Avengers, one was Mrs. Peal and two: that show had a certain quirkiness to it that I enjoyed. I would have been 10 years old when the show went off the air, so I probably remember being infatuated with Diana Rigg while watching reruns.

The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes

"I had no idea that such individuals exist outside of stories."
―Dr Watson speaking about Holmes

Sherlock Holmes, Warner Brothers, 2009

I have read several of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories and more recently have watch two Sherlock movies. One the Warner Brothers, 2009 Sherlock Holmes takes place in Victorian England and the other Sherlock, a BBC TV series, is a more of a contemporary depiction of this classic.

Sherlock Holmes, Warner Brothers, 2009: London Bridge

Sherlock Holmes, Warner Brothers, 2009: traditional Holmes depiction

Sherlock Holmes, BBC TV Series, Season 5: opening scene

Sherlock Holmes, BBC TV Series, Season 5: depiction of Sherlock Holmes (a very intense fellow)

Quotes from the Great White Queen

Here are a couple of quotes from William Le Queux, the Great White Queen.

“Let virtue be the basis of knowledge and let knowledge be as a slave before her.”

Chapter 19, The Great White Queen, William Le Queux

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“Let us hasten, O Master.” The old sage cried breathlessly. “Every instant’s delay meaneth peril, and peril is the first cousin to disaster.”

Chapter 24, The Great White Queen, William Le Queux

No Enemy to Fear

"There is now no enemy to fear, but the one that resides within. By accustoming ourselves to regard even the people as erring beings, and by using the restraints that wisdom has adduced from experience, there is much reason to hope that the same Providence which has so well aided us in our infancy, may continue to smile on our manhood."

The Spy, James Fenimore Cooper

Elizabeth Flanagan-A Host of Characters

And though amidst the calm of thought entire,
Some high and haughty features might betray
A soul impetuous once—'twas earthly fire
That fled composure's intellectual ray,
As Etna's fires grow dim before the rising day.

Gertrude of Wyoming

Elizabeth Flanagan is a character found in James Fenimore Cooper the Spy. The story tells of a revolutionary era spy. Although not the only uncouth individual mentioned within the text she is the first female character with this attribute.

‘Elizabeth Flanagan, her hotel," an ebullition of the wit of some of the idle wags of the corps. The matron, whose name had thus been exalted to an office of such unexpected dignity, ordinarily discharged the duties of a female sutler, washerwoman, and, to use the language of Katy Haynes, petticoat doctor to the troops. She was the widow of a soldier who had been killed in the service, and who, like herself, was a native of a distant island, and had early tried his fortune in the colonies of North America. She constantly migrated with the troops; and it was seldom that they became stationary for two days at a time but the little cart of the bustling woman was seen driving into the encampment loaded with such articles as she conceived would make her presence most welcome. With a celerity that seemed almost supernatural, Betty took up her ground and commenced her occupation. Sometimes the cart itself was her shop; at others the soldiers made her a rude shelter of such materials as offered; but on the present occasion she had seized on a vacant building, and, by dint of stuffing the dirty breeches and half-dried linen of the troopers into the broken windows, to exclude the cold, which had now become severe, she formed what she herself had pronounced to be "most illigant lodgings." The men were quartered in the adjacent barns, and the officers collected in the "Hotel Flanagan," as they facetiously called headquarters. Betty was well known to every trooper in the corps, could call each by his Christian or nickname, as best suited her fancy; and, although absolutely intolerable to all whom habit had not made familiar with her virtues, was a general favorite with these partisan warriors. Her faults were, a trifling love of liquor, excessive filthiness, and a total disregard of all the decencies of language; her virtues, an unbounded love for her adopted country, perfect honesty when dealing on certain known principles with the soldiery, and great good nature. Added to these, Betty had the merit of being the inventor of that beverage which is so well known, at the present hour, to all the patriots who make a winter's march between the commercial and political capitals of this great state, and which is distinguished by the name of "cocktail." Elizabeth Flanagan was peculiarly well qualified, by education and circumstances, to perfect this improvement in liquors, having been literally brought up on its principal ingredient, and having acquired from her Virginian customers the use of mint, from its flavor in a julep to its height of renown in the article in question. Such, then, was the mistress of the mansion, who, reckless of the cold northern blasts, showed her blooming face from the door of the building to welcome the arrival of her favorite, Captain Lawton, and his companion, her master in matters of surgery.’

The Spy, James Fenimore Cooper

A Recent Pronouncement of Sir Edward Grey

"Only as recently as March 29, 1909, Sir Edward Grey, replying to Mr. Balfour's vote of censure in the House of Commons, was compelled to admit that— "A new situation is created by the German programme. When it is completed, Germany, a great country close to our own shores, will have a fleet of thirty-three Dreadnoughts, and that fleet will be the most powerful which the world has ever yet seen. It imposes upon us the necessity of rebuilding the whole of our fleet. That is the situation."

The Spies of the Kaiser: Plotting the Downfall of England, William Le Queux

The Startling Truth

“Nobody here dreams the truth-a truth that will be found as startling as it is strange.”

The Spies of the Kaiser: Plotting the Downfall of England, William Le Queux

My Fall 2017 Reading List

We are now in the month of October and in the Fall season. Here is yet another reading list.

1. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, Susanna Clarke (hard copy)
2. Spies of the Kaiser: Plotting the Downfall of England, William Le Queux
   
3. The Great White Queen a Story of Treason, William Le Queux
   
4. Moonchild, Aleister Crowley
   
5. The Spy, James Fenimore Cooper
   
6. Beyond the Black River, Robert E. Howard
   
7. Jewels of Gwahler, Robert E. Howard
   
8. The Invasion, William Le Queux
   
9. Rasputin the Rascal Monk, William Le Queux
10. Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles, Kim Newman

Another German Spy Thwarted

Map of the North Shields Reservoirs, And How to Cut Off the Water Supply, Prepared By the Spy John Barker

This seemly innocent letter had along with the roughly sketched map fell into the hand of John Jacox. The letter through careful examination was found to be in a German code which was decoded, later down in the dispatch.

"Berkeley Chambers, "Cannon Street, "London, E.C., "May 3rd, 1908.

"My dear John,

"I herewith enclose the interest in advance—four five-pound notes.

"Continue to act as you have done, and obtain orders wherever possible.

"Business just now, I am glad to say, leaves but little to be desired, and we hope that next year your share of profits may be increased.

"We have every confidence in this, you understand.

"Write to us oftener and give us news of your doings, as we are always interested in your welfare.

"It is unwise of you, I think, to doubt Uncle Charles, for I have always found him to be a man in whom one can repose the utmost confidence. He is, I believe, taking a house near Tynemouth.

"Everyone is at present well, but the spring in London is always trying. However, we are hoping for warmer weather.

"My wife and the children, especially little Charlie,

Frederick, and Charlotte—who is growing quite a big girl—send their love to you.

"Your affectionate cousin,

"Henry Lewis."

That letter, innocent enough upon the face of it, contained certain instructions to the spy, besides enclosing his monthly payment of £20.

The Decoded Message

"Read by the alphabetical instructions with which every German secret agent is supplied and which vary in various districts, the message it contained was as follows:

(Phrase I) I send you your monthly payment.

(Phrase 2) Your information during the past month is satisfactory.

(Phrase 3) Your service in general is giving satisfaction, and if it continues so, we shall at the next inspection augment your monthly payment.

(Phrase 4) We wish you, however, to send us more detailed notes, and report oftener.

(Phrase 5) Cease your observations upon Charles. We have what we require. Turn your attention to defenses at Tynemouth.

(Phrase 6) As you know, the chief (spring) is very difficult to please, for at the last inspection we were given increased work.

(Phrase 7) Remain in negotiation with your three correspondents—Charles (meaning the foreman, Rosser), Charlotte, and Frederick—until you hear further. You may make them offers for the information."

Spies of the Kaiser-Plotting the Downfall of England, William Le Queux

The Secret of the Silent Submarine

The following information was collected by Leon Karff, a German spy, and was luckily intercepted by Raymond and Jacox who were working together to isolate and disrupt the workings of the German spy agencies.

"Report by Leon Karff, late foreman-fitter at Kiel Dockyard, on Submarine 'F 2,' now building in Shed No. 4, Portsmouth Dockyard.

"This boat would appear to me to be of about 700 tons displacement when complete, possibly rather over. She is, as far as I am able to measure, about 180 feet long with an extreme beam a little forward of amidships of 20 feet. She is fitted with three propeller shafts with three small four-bladed propellers on each. As she is provided with what appear to me to be some kind of turbine engines, I imagine that the centre shaft is for going astern only. The propellers on this shaft seem to be attached in such a way that they could be 'feathered' by suitable gearing on board so as not to retard the vessel's way when going ahead. The engines of this boat are of a type which I have never before seen. I imagine that they are a combination of the new 'gas-producer' engine and the turbine system, the explosion of[55] the combined gas and air being split up and passing into the turbine through a number of different channels simultaneously. This would be a very economical system if the necessary power can be obtained, and would be much safer for use below than petrol engines.

"The boat is evidently intended to operate a good deal in an 'awash' position, for there is fairly thick armour-plating over the greater part of the upper side of the bow, while the fore end of the superstructure is made of two 6-inch Krupp steel plates meeting at an acute angle, and so forming a kind of stem when the boat is moving in this way. The space enclosed between these two plates is evidently intended to be used as the conning-tower. Here there are a periscope, steering-wheel, voice-tubes, and everything necessary for the control of the vessel. There are two horizontal propellers or fans, which seem to be driven by electricity derived from an installation of accumulators, and which are certainly intended to secure horizontal immersion, so the vessel will not plunge or dive, but immerse herself horizontally by means of these propellers, which, by the way, work in vertical shafts running completely through the boat, one forward and the other aft, as was the case in the Nordenfeldt, Waddington, and other early submarines.

"Forward there is an air-lock and diving-chamber, as in the 'Lake' boats, so that divers can get in and out of the vessel whilst under water. It would also afford a means of escape for the crew in the case of accident. This is further provided for by a detachable boat or caisson at the after end of the superstructure capable of holding ten men, I should say, or[56] possibly a dozen. There are also appliances which I suppose are telephone buoys for communicating with the surface. There are six torpedo tubes fitted, one forward, one aft, and the others two on either broadside. And there seems to be provision for six other torpedoes of the 18-inch type.

"There is a long rudder for ordinary steering, and four horizontal ones or planes which are placed abreast the horizontal screws and which, I imagine, act automatically in conjunction with them, as they seem to gear up with the shafts for these propellers. There is a big safety detachable weight which fits loosely into a recess amidships, and four broad wheels with ball bearings which do not fold up as in the 'Lake' boats, but always protrude nearly half their diameter. After all they would not obstruct her way when water-borne more than a keel—or very little more. They are quite independent and unconnected with the interior of the vessel, which while resting on them would receive forward impetus from her propellers. In the 'awash' position she would offer a very small and almost invulnerable target."

Chapter 2 The Secret of the Silent Submarine, Spies of the Kaiser-Plotting the Downfall of England, William Le Queux

The Peril of England-A War of Words

"Who Is Right?

Sir Edward Grey

In the House of Commons, March 29, 1909.

'We have been informed verbally, but quite definitely, that Germany will not accelerate her naval programme of construction, and will not have thirteen ships of the Dreadnought type, including cruisers, till the end of 1912.'

Prince Buelow

In the Reichstag, March 29, 1909.

'Great Britain has never made any proposals which the German Government regarded as a suitable basis for negotiations. Germany regards the question of limitation of armaments as outside the range of practical politics.'

What The Kaiser Says:

His Imperial Majesty the German Emperor declared:—

'The prevailing sentiment among large sections of the middle and lower class of my own people is not friendly to England.—Daily Telegraph, October 28, 1908.'"

Spies of the Kaiser-Plotting the Downfall of England, William Le Queux