William N. Tilchin argues that President Theodore Roosevelt understood the importance of maintaining a friendly diplomatic relationship with Great Britain, and he further recognized that British naval power did not threaten American power or interests. Tilchin asserts that by maintaining cordial relations with Great Britain, the United States did not have to match or exceed British naval strength and that if the two nations interests were aligned, American naval power could complement the British fleet. Tilchin closely examines a diplomatic row that occurred between Great Britain and the United States after a devastating earthquake in Jamaica in early 1907. Tilchin says that Roosevelt’s handling of this incident, which could have upset relations between the two nations, demonstrated his deft diplomacy and underscored the realignment of naval power in the western hemisphere. 

 

Two photographs of Roosevelt onboard the presidential yacht USS Mayflower and a photograph of Tilchin appear in the text. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1997-11-01

Creator(s)

Tilchin, William N., 1950-

Language

English

Period

Theodore Roosevelt and Public Memory (1919-present)

Page Count

7

Production Method

Printed

Record Type

Image

Resource Type

Speech

Rights

No permission is required from the Theodore Roosevelt Association to use items in the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal collection for educational purposes. For permissions, contact William Tilchin at (516) 921-6319 or by email at wnt@bu.edu.


Citation

Cite this Record

Chicago:

The U.S. Navy, the Royal Navy, and Anglo-American relations during the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. [November 1, 1997]. Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308007. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Tilchin, William N., 1950-. The U.S. Navy, the Royal Navy, and Anglo-American relations during the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. [1 Nov. 1997]. Image.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 29, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308007.

APA:

Tilchin, William N., 1950-., [1997, November 1]. The U.S. Navy, the Royal Navy, and Anglo-American relations during the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308007.

Cite this Collection

Chicago:

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 29, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.

APA:

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.