I'd like a credible estimate of the number of public speeches Clare
Boothe Luce gave in her career and one of more source citations to
check.

I haven't been able to find what you want, but here is some general
information you may find useful.

A good short biography of Clare Boothe Luce is at the Women in History
site at:

http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/luce-cla.htm


A shorter bio. with some pictures of her World War ll correspondent
days is at the site of the Library of Congress Exhibition "Women Come
to the Front":

http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/wcf/wcf0010.html



There are some nice quotes of hers available at:

http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/hjakubowski/cbluceinfo.htm

and more at:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/a126223.html


Search terms:
"Clare Boothe Luce"