3 August in History: The First English Letter Crosses the Atlantic
On 3 August 1527, a letter considered to be the first English-language message sent from America to Europe was written. Explorer Captain John Rut addressed it to King Henry VIII, and it reached Europe aboard a French or Portuguese fishing vessel.
According to historical accounts, the first English-language letter to travel from America to Europe was written on 3 August 1527. The letter came from explorer Captain John Rut and was addressed to King Henry VIII Tudor of England. It was composed in St John's Bay, near the present-day coast of Newfoundland.
This was a report, not an ordinary personal note. At the time, sending written messages across the Atlantic was not a routine matter. In fact, Rut's letter did not cross the ocean on a ship captained by him. It is understood that one of the French or Portuguese fishing vessels encountered in American waters carried the message to Europe.
The letter is now considered a milestone in the history of transatlantic correspondence. It shows that English was being used for written communication between the New World and Europe already in the early 16th century. It also points to the part played by fishermen in the movement of information across the Atlantic. These crews, who were not involved in exploration, happened to become the carriers of a document meant for the English king.
The date has come to be remembered for this event. John Rut's report is regarded as the first known English-language letter to complete the journey from America to Europe, and the circumstances of its delivery make it a noteworthy episode in the wider history of contact between the two continents.
