For a survey of Stevenson's extensive revisions to the text published in Longman's Magazine for book publication, see ‘Textual Essay’ in ‘Note on the Text’. One short passage of dialogue was removed in its entirety from Book i chapter 5, and this is reproduced below, followed by the original ending of the last chapter of the novel, very extensively rewritten by Stevenson for the Chatto & Windus edition.

Book II chapter 5 from Longman's Magazine, 32 (June 1885), 216:The following passage, from ‘Admiral?’ to ‘mon premier minister’ was replaced with an ellipsis for the book version (see 63 in the present edition).

‘[…] Come, co-admiral, let us consult.’

‘Admiral?’ replied the Baron, smiling. ‘How many years before we have an admiral in Grünewald?’

‘It is a long way to the sea, Monsieur l'ambitieux; and we cannot have an admiral until we have a port,’ she answered.

‘O, a long way!’ said Gondremark. ‘When a state begins growing, it grows by geometrical progression.’

‘Come,’ she said, ‘you trifle, Monsieur mon premier ministre. How am I to receive him now? And what are we to do if he should appear at the council?’