The Tales of "the Trade". [ 3 vols, complete set ]

Doubleday, Page & Company, Garden City, first editions, 1916. Editions of 70 copies for private distribution. 3 vols, printed wrappers,. various paginations. A complete set of the three pamphlets about the submarine service produced to secure American copyright and being the true first editions, preceding the newspaper publication of the articles in The Times (London) and other English newspapers in June 1916. The articles were composed by Kipling from secret reports to the British Admiralty made available to him for propaganda purposes, and comprise: I Some Work in the Baltic; II Business in the Sea of Marmora; and III Ravages and Repairs. The first pamphlet is introduced by Kipling's poem "The Trade": "They bear, in place of classic names / Letters and numbers on their skin. / They play their grisly blindfold games / In little boxes made of tin / Sometimes they stalk the Zeppelin, / Sometimes they learn where mines are laid, / Or where the Baltic ice is thin. / That is the custom of "The Trade. Bookplate of the Chicago businessman and well-known collector John A. Spoor on front inside wrappers. Near Fine set in a card chemise and somewhat used slipcase.