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Police officer claimed that existence of Loch Ness Monster was 'beyond doubt'

27 April 2010 [13:08] - TODAY.AZ
A senior police officer claimed that the existence of Loch Ness Monster was "beyond doubt", in letter to a Government minister that has come to light after 70 years.
The letter from William Fraser - the then chief constable of Inverness-shire Constabulary - is among a number of files recently uncovered by the National Archives of Scotland.

It dates from the 1930s when a large number of alleged sightings of the mysterious creature led to the Scottish Office being asked to confirm Nessie's existence.

Articles and grainy photographs were published in newspapers and many monster hunters travelled to Loch Ness in an effort to see, catch or even kill their prey.

In correspondence to the Under Secretary of State at the Scottish Office, Mr Fraser said: "That there is some strange creature in Loch Ness seems now beyond doubt, but that the police have any power to protect it is very doubtful."

He told the minister that a London couple, Peter Kent and Marion Stirling, "are determined to catch the monster dead or alive".

Mr Fraser's typed letter states: "Mr Peter Kent visited Fort Augustus on Friday, August 12, and was seen there by my officer stationed at Fort Augustus, to whom he stated that he was having a special harpoon gun made and that he was to return with some 20 experienced men on August 22 for the purpose of hunting the monster down."

He added: "I have, however, caused Mr Peter Kent to be warned of the desirability of having the creature left alone, but whether my warning will have the desired effect or not remains to be seen."

The increased speculation on Nessie's existence even led to the tabling of a parliamentary question on the subject in 1933.

It asked if, in the interest of science, an investigation should be made into the existence of the monster.

Although sceptical, ministers and civil servants proposed stationing reliable observers on the shores of the loch to take photographs.

If the monster was proved to exist, the next step would have been to trap it without injury -- a difficult task, given the size and depth of Loch Ness.

An archives spokesman said: "In the end it was felt that as the monster provided interest and amusement, it would be better to let it continue to do so than to kill it, or the tales told about it."

The government file on the Loch Ness Monster, including the chief constable's letter, features in the Open Secret exhibition at the archives in Edinburgh.

Earlier this year, Nessie enthusiasts feared the "Monster" may be dead, after there was only one "credible" reported sighting of the creature on 2009.

Gary Campbell, president of the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, remained upbeat though saying the reason for the lack of sightings are that Nessie might be "keeping her head down".

He said: "Perhaps the answers are to be found underwater instead of on the Loch's surface. Maybe Nessie is just keeping her head down."


/Telegraph.co.uk/
URL: http://www.today.az/news/interesting/66823.html

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