Fwd: Tribune inquiry: in harm's way

Jonathan Lighter wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM
Wed Oct 13 14:03:44 UTC 2004


I believe Bassett titled his Navy novel after a statement from John Paul Jones (ca.1778), "I intend to go in harm's way."

JL

"Baker, John" <JMB at STRADLEY.COM> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: "Baker, John"
Subject: Re: Fwd: Tribune inquiry: in harm's way
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I checked Westlaw, and while "out of harm's way" is more common in the older cases, there are also several "in harm's way" examples. Here's the oldest "in harm's way" I saw, an 1851 case from the California Supreme Court:

"It is not to be understood that all vessels moored should set a watch or exhibit lights, but such only as are moored or anchored in "harm's way," that is, in or near the usual track of daily steamers, or the usual entrance to any part of the harbor." Innis v. Steamer Senator, 1 Cal. 459, 461 (1851).

John Baker


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