Egypt--Suez Canal

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Truman Handy Newberry

Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry’s letter helped President Roosevelt better understand the situation. Roosevelt believes the best itinerary for the Great White Fleet to follow is through the Straits of Magellan and returning through the Suez Canal, but he seeks advice from the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, Admiral Willard H. Brownson. Roosevelt also believes several reporters should accompany the fleet.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-10

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William II

President Roosevelt thanks German Emperor William II for his work in fostering friendship between Germany and the United States. He regrets that the situation regarding his nomination of David Jayne Hill as the new Ambassador to Germany was made public, and explains that if he had been told privately that the Emperor wanted a different man, he would have nominated someone else. Roosevelt also provides an update on the progress of the American fleet’s tour of South America, and says that its target practice off the Mexican coast went well.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to A. Pappa

President Roosevelt wants to personally thank A. Pappa, head pilot of the Suez Canal, for his part in helping bring the floating dry dock Dewey through the canal. Pappa’s judgment, knowledge, and ability was highly praised by Commander Harry Herbert Hosley.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-12

Letter from William N. Freeman to Frank Harper

William N. Freeman tells Frank Harper he is writing a lecture on “The Romance of American Democracy” he will expand into a book, and while he received Harper’s previous letter inviting him to visit The Outlook office to shake hands with Theodore Roosevelt, Freeman says he will wait to do so until he has his book completed in hand to give to Roosevelt for review. He shares a quote that praises Roosevelt from his lecture.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-17

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Lodge discusses a number of topics regarding the late Secretary of State John Hay. Lodge bemoans the editing of a publication of Hay’s letters, claiming that Hay was “one of the best if not the best letter writer of his time,” but the publication does not do him justice. He reminisces on the many men of letters he has known in his life, and believes that Hay was the most “brilliant, humorous, sympathetic, [and] witty” among them. Lodge holds more criticism for Hay in his role as a secretary of state, discussing how Hay bungled multiple treaties, took credit for accomplishments that were not his own, and formed poor relations with the Senate. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-14

Letter from Lewis Morris Iddings to Theodore Roosevelt

Lewis Morris Iddings, diplomat in Egypt, suggests that if President Roosevelt enters the continent by the Suez Canal there will likely be time for a trip to the pyramids and the sphinx, which would be a nice visit for Roosevelt and Kermit Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-14

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

Leonard Wood’s ship has stopped in Sri Lanka to take on coal and prepare for the journey to the Suez Canal. The situation in the Philippines was quiet when Wood left, and he thinks there is no immediate cause for President Roosevelt to have anxiety over the islands. People in the British colonial administration have been very civil.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-05

Letter from Robley D. Evans to Willard H. Brownson

Admiral Robley D. Evans gives Chief of the Bureau of Navigation Rear Admiral Brownson his thoughts on routeing the Atlantic Fleet. He is primarily concerned about how other nations will view the Fleet’s maneuvers, and the season the fleet will be passing through the Straits of Magellan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-17

Letter from Willard H. Brownson to Theodore Roosevelt

Rear Admiral Brownson, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, gives President Roosevelt his opinions and recommendations on Admiral Robley D. Evans’ proposed route plans for the Atlantic Fleet. Brownson feels a single newspaper correspondent for the trip is ideal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-17

Letter from Willard H. Brownson to William Loeb

Rear Admiral Brownson, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, asks William Loeb to inform President Roosevelt that he emphatically does not approve of sending the Great White Fleet home from the Pacific via the Suez Canal, no matter what an editorial in the Herald might say.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-04

Letter from Truman Handy Newberry to Theodore Roosevelt

Acting Secretary of the Navy Newberry updates President Roosevelt on naval matters. Newberry is glad Roosevelt approves of his plans for educating midshipmen, and believes it is a good idea to enlist them at a younger age. Newberry has conferred with Admirals Robley D. Evans and Willard H. Brownson regarding itineraries for the Great White Fleet’s trip to the Pacific, and will send the specifics of three proposed itineraries soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-01

Letter from Adolphus Andrews to Theodore Roosevelt

Vice Admiral Adolphus Andrews writes to President Roosevelt from Chefoo, China, to inform him that he has taken command of the USS Villalobos. Andrews reports that things are presently quiet in China, but there is an “underground current of trouble which is growing stronger each day.” Andrews thanks Roosevelt for his photograph.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-18

Letter from Andrew McC. Parker to R. Wayne Parker

Andrew McC. Parker discusses the challenges associated with building a canal across the Isthmus.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-26

Platform adopted by the Republicans of Michigan

This article is the platform adopted by the Republican Party of Michigan ahead of the Republican National Convention. The topics mentioned include foreign trade, monetary and fiscal policies, the state electoral process, and Theodore Roosevelt’s candidacy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-25

Panorama of the Suez Canal, Egypt

Colorized postcard showing a steamer traveling through the Suez Canal. Several buildings are seen on the distant bank and another boat is on Lake Timsah in the background. Text on the reverse of the postcard provides information about the history and the location of the Suez Canal.

Collection

Charles C. Myers Collection

Creation Date

Unknown

Canal: Vue du Canal au Ghirsch

Postcard showing a ship traveling through the Suez Canal. Charles C. Myers describes the landscape surrounding the canal as level and only a few feet above sea level while the canal banks are several feet high in some places.

Comments and Context

In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Another view of the canal.”

Collection

Charles C. Myers Collection

Canal: Curassé italien à la courbe du chantier

Postcard showing a ship traveling through the Suez Canal. Several individuals are standing on the bank of the canal on the left.

Comments and Context

In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “A ship as it is passing thru the canal.”

Collection

Charles C. Myers Collection

Canal: Plan No. 1

Postcard showing the Suez Canal in its entirety from Suez on the Red Sea to Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea. Charles C. Myers notes the journey through the canal is 90 miles long and passes through three lakes.

Comments and Context

In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Here is a very good drawing of the Suez Canal. The canal passes thru 3 lakes in its course of 90 miles from Suez to Port Said which is the Mediterranean port at that end of the canal. All this country to either side of the canal seems to be a barren desert. We could see the top of a mountain in the far distant [sic] that was said to be Mt. Sinai. Progress thru the canal is very slow and we anchored over night in the second lake from Suez. We occasionally could see some Arab riding across the country on a camel.”

Collection

Charles C. Myers Collection

Suez: Moré basse

Postcard showing several individuals in the foreground and a village in the background. According to Charles C. Myers, the village is located on the Red Sea at the entrance to the Suez Canal.

Comments and Context

In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “We will now pass thru the Red Sea and to Suez then thru the Suez Canal. Suez, Egypt is a village of considerable size but in now way a desirable place to live. This is a view in the suburbs of the city.”

Collection

Charles C. Myers Collection

Panama–the human side

Poultney Bigelow compares the challenges Ferdinand de Lesseps faced constructing the Suez Canal to those of the Panama Canal. He argues that real-estate ownership among canal officials is responsible for the crowded, unsanitary conditions of Colon and that the government has failed in its administration of the canal zone.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09