Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the copy of Seth Low’s letter. Lower also sent Mahan a copy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-13

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Rear Admiral Mahan is very worried about reports that claim U. S. Naval ships will be situated in the Pacific. Fearing U. S. forces are vastly inferior to Japan’s, Mahan posits that war with Japan could devolve into a very poor situation for the United States. Should warfare with Japan commence, the United States’ ties to the Philippines and Hawaii might be in danger.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-10

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-02

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English

A. T. Mahan cannot write about the arbitration treaties for The Outlook as he has a contract with The North American for a series of articles. He is also busy writing a book on naval strategy. The London Times is a better source of opinions on the treaties than the New York Times.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-25

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Admiral Mahan comments on the articles of the Treaty of General Arbitration with Great Britain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-11

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the letter and information therein. He would have liked to discuss the matter in person, but is entirely occupied by reviewing galleys and page proofs. Mahan wonders if Roosevelt ever feels the same way he does, in that the development of the navy and fortification of the Panama Canal seems only to be half completed, “and therefore perhaps worse than not done at all.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-01

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Captain A. T. Mahan is revising his lectures on naval strategy for publication, and wishes to confirm a detail regarding the early stages of the Spanish-American War with Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-24

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan acknowledges the receipt of Theodore Roosevelt’s recent letter, and states he found it engrossing. Mahan recently read John Hay’s letters on the question of the Alaskan boundary, and discusses the nature of government as well as the question of Asian immigrants. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-19

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan asks President Roosevelt whether it would be improper for Roosevelt to recommend that President-Elect William H. Taft avoid dividing the battleship fleet between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. While Mahan recognizes Taft’s qualifications for the presidency, he is unsure whether Taft possess a “strong military sense.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-03-02

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan thinks that the enclosed article from the January 21 edition of the London Times will interest President Roosevelt, as it offers satisfying proof that “truth sometimes catches up with falsehood.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-01

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan offers his opinion on the role of the secretary of the Navy. Mahan believes that the issues within the Navy Department have arisen from its corporate structure and the staff’s knowledge gaps. Mahan observes that there is a lack of “personal responsibility” in the department and argues that the Chief of Staff should be “solely responsible for the information, and for advice, given the Secretary.” Drawing from Julian Stafford Corbett, Mahan discusses the connection between diplomatic and military actions and the necessity of a strong military in peacetime. He concludes by asserting that he does not “advocate or countenance” any actions to weaken the power of the secretary.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-13

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Rear Admiral Mahan is glad to let President Roosevelt use any of his writing that may be of service, without regard to credit. He adds that the book has not been read in the United States as much as in Great Britain. He also notes that his change of address delayed receipt of the president’s letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-24

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Rear Admiral Mahan responds to critiques made by Lieutenant Commander William Sowden Sims on his piece on the Battle of Tsushima. Mahan believes Sims did a disservice by referencing too few sources. He also believes his sources are superior to Sims’. He paints a different picture of the battle and the mechanics of it. He also believes they emphasize different naval philosophical differences in their critiques. Sims believes in the importance of machinery and Mahan thinks that resources should be devoted to manpower. Mahan analyzes successful battle tactics and logistics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-22

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan sends feedback to President Roosevelt on William Sowden Sims’ paper. Thayer also includes his opinions on what makes the most successful warship. Additionally, Thayer encloses a clipping and mentions that Blackwood this month will have an article on speed by Admiral Reginald Custance, and that Admiral Cyprian Bridge agrees with Custance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-03

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan writes to President Roosevelt to discuss a newspaper clipping he had enclosed, which discussed the Hague Conference.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-09

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan is pleased that President Roosevelt has found his books worth re-reading. His source on Michiel De Ruyter was Gerard Brandt’s work from the seventeenth century. Mahan doubts whether full justice will ever be done De Ruyter, who was appreciated more in his own time than since. Mahan comments on the case of Admiral Winfield Schley, asserting that there can be no doubt what the verdict of history will be. He has been amazed that men of intelligence have accepted Schley, even after the Court found his reports “inaccurate and misleading.” Regarding the case of General Nelson Miles, Mahan notes that he knows the facts only superficially, but he agreed entirely with President Roosevelt omitting a word of commendation for Miles on his retirement. Mahan comments that Roosevelt’s administration has accomplished two major successes on the military side: Secretary of War Elihu Root’s reorganization and the Naval General Staff Bill, which he hopes will pass.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-09-07

Hamilton Holt, editor of the Independent, published a criticism by Park Benjamin of A. T. Mahan’s book, Types of Naval Officers, and Mahan is upset that confidential comments made in his correspondence to Holt, in which he took issue with Benjamin, were published. Mahan feels that the Independent “has misled its readers” by failing to correct false information.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-01-16

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Captain Mahan emphasizes to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt that he writes only to suggest thoughts or give information–not to influence action. He calls Roosevelt’s attention to two related factors: a previous article he wrote suggesting that the threat to Hawaii is from Asia, rather than Europe, and a situation in South America which saw the United States worried about not having a battleship in the Pacific Ocean. He suggests that a similar situation could now occur if the Japanese have two battleships while the United States has only one. Mahan feels that it is important that the United States begin to prepare its fleets in order to avert potential conflict, saying “preparedness deters the foe,” and helps maintain peace without actually having to fight.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-05-06

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Captain Mahan sends Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt some of his various thoughts about naval and international matters. Emphasizing that he does not want Roosevelt to think he aims to do more than suggest ideas for consideration, Mahan draws Roosevelt’s attention to a news article suggesting Japan’s proposed program of building ships, and muses about United States relations with the Asian nation. Mahan feels that there is more chance of naval trouble in the Pacific than the Atlantic, and believes that former president Grover Cleveland should have fully annexed Hawaii when he had the chance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-05-01

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

A. T. Mahan thanks Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt for efforts made on his behalf (matter not disclosed within the letter). Mahan feels particularly fortunate to have had Roosevelt advocating for him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1893-03-26

Creator(s)

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914