On February 21 The Times reported that a lost Sherlock Holmes story had been found in Selkirk. Alistair Lexden explained the story's political context in a letter published in the paper on February 23.
Sir,
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle hoped to advance his political prospects by helping to raise funds for a new Selkirk bridge in 1904 through the short story which has just been rediscovered ("Sherlock's casebook adds new chapter", Feb. 21). An ardent imperialist and henchman of Joe Chamberlain, he was the hopeful Liberal Unionist candidate in a border constituency which included Selkirk. His generosity, though, went unrewarded. He was defeated by 681 votes when the general election came in 1906. A female admirer in Selkirk told him consolingly that, "if the ladies had had votes I am sure you would have got in by a huge majority".
Lord Lexden
House of Lords