Egypt

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt outlines his travel plans and schedule for his upcoming safari in Africa for Ambassador Reid. He wants Reid to make clear that he only intends to shoot specimens for the Smithsonian Institution, and perhaps a few extra trophies for himself and his son Kermit. He does not want special treatment in any of the countries he will pass through, although he would appreciate any game reserves being opened for him if possible. If it is not possible for him to travel through Europe without fanfare during the months following the safari, Roosevelt will likely return straight home to America. If he does travel through Europe with his family, he would like the American diplomats to make it clear that he is traveling as a former president and does not want to meet heads of governments.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to W. S. Rainsford

Theodore Roosevelt would like to see W. S. Rainsford when he returns to discuss the war. Roosevelt is particularly interested in Rainsford’s nephew’s comment. Roosevelt also hopes Rainsford has seen his book, America and the World War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Robert S. McClenahan

Theodore Roosevelt tells Robert S. McClenahan that he is welcome to show the letter Roosevelt wrote to anyone he wants. Roosevelt greatly admires the mission work McClenahan is doing in Egypt and regards it as “one of the greatest assets of civilization.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-12-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

Theodore Roosevelt is fascinated by Frederick Courteney Selous’s stories about his trip and articles about “concealing coloration.” He hopes that Selous is able to go to the Upper Nile.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-12-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John George Alexander Leishman

President Roosevelt introduces Oric Bates to Ambassador Leishman and asks that he help Bates and Richard Norton obtain a firman, or permit, to do archaeological digs in Tripoli, Ottoman Empire. Bates and Norton are working for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leigh S. J. Hunt

President Roosevelt is “overjoyed” to hear that Leigh S. J. Hunt’s son, Henry L. Hunt, has improved in health and discusses his Nile river travel plans for his upcoming African safari. Based on the advice of the Sirdar and John L. Harrington, Roosevelt plans to travel up the Sobat and Pibor rivers instead of the Bahr-el-Gazal. Roosevelt also reports that the Sirdar claims he can catch a white rhinoceros while in Uganda. In the postscript, Roosevelt wonders if they should bring donkeys on their river journey.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lewis Morris Iddings

President Roosevelt introduces his cousin Laura d’Oremieulx Roosevelt to the American Consul General of Egypt, Lewis Morris Iddings, ahead of her trip to Alexandria. Even though she may not need to present the letter and Roosevelt will no longer be president while she is there, he wishes to state his relationship to her anyway.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt asks Ambassador Reid if he would be able to petition Lord Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes to write to officials in Uganda that Roosevelt would appreciate being given a guide and information that would allow him to hunt a white rhinoceros or elephant. The current unrest in India concerns Roosevelt, and asks what the feelings of British officials are towards it. Roosevelt also remarks briefly on his plans to leave immediately after William H. Taft’s inauguration as president, and comments on a controversy that arose at the 1908 Olympic Games in London, which is still fostering some resentment between the two nations. If Roosevelt can secure a third specimen of the white rhinoceros, he would be happy to send it to the British Museum.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Sydney Brooks

President Roosevelt sends Sydney Brooks a copy of a letter he wrote to Senator Henry Cabot Lodge accurately predicting the outcome of the recent presidential election. He is greatly amused to hear about the reaction of the British press to his involvement in the campaign of president-elect William H. Taft, and briefly comments on American politics. Roosevelt is glad to be joining the staff of The Outlook after leaving the presidency, and is looking forward to his safari, which he has received a great deal of help planning from his British friends. He is sorry to learn that a number of American papers have been attacking Britain for its rule over India, and says that he believes that while there have been faults committed, it is nevertheless “one of the mighty feats of civilization.” He also notes that some British papers have criticized the United States for its work in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles A. Moore

President Roosevelt agrees with Charles A. Moore that Somerville P. Tuck would make a good replacement for George Sherman Batcheller on the International Court of Appeals at Cairo, Egypt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Emily Tyler Carow

President Roosevelt agrees with Emily Tyler Carow that Somerville P. Tuck is a good judge and deserves to be promoted, and has advised the Egyptian government as such. Roosevelt details some of his plans for his upcoming African safari, and asks if it would be possible to meet in Naples. Roosevelt describes a camping trip he took with “all of the younger children.” Roosevelt believes William H. Taft will be elected president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt sends Ambassador Reid details about his plans for his African safari. Roosevelt discusses the timing and route of his trip, as well as his plans for hunting and gathering scientific specimens for the United States National Museum. Roosevelt is “delighted beyond all measure” that Sir F. R. Wingate has opened the reserves under his command to Roosevelt’s expedition. He assures Reid that he will not take too many trophies or slaughter game without cause. Roosevelt asks Reid to pass along this information to Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes in the hopes that he will open the reserves in British East Africa, Uganda, and Sudan, as well as to relieve the minds of other East African provincial officials about the nature of Roosevelt’s trip. Roosevelt would also like to visit Italy, France, and England on the way home from his safari, but does not want to place undue burden on the governments of those nations. He does not wish for official state functions, but to visit old friends with his family.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Evelyn Baring

President Roosevelt thanks Evelyn Baring, Earl of Cromer, for his blue book report. Roosevelt believes this work is of real interest, especially to people doing colonial work. He is sorry to hear that Cromer’s health forced him to leave Egypt, and asks if there is any chance Cromer would be able to visit the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Emily Tyler Carow

President Roosevelt is pleased with the letter Emily Tyler Carow has sent him about Evelyn Baring, Earl of Cromer, and wishes to have him visit America one day. Roosevelt agrees with Carow that British occupation in Egypt should continue for the sake of “civilization”, however, he does not expect Egypt’s social and religious customs to reconcile with permanent English rule. Roosevelt sees improvement in Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt’s health and comments on a recent visit the family made to see Ted and Kermit.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles William Eliot

President Roosevelt informs President of Harvard University Eliot he is speaking at the fiftieth anniversary of the Michigan State Agricultural College on May 31. Before taking stronger action in Cuba, he will do everything in his power to facilitate a peaceful agreement. He will contact Secretary of War William H. Taft about Americans financing revolutionists.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to the Earl of Cromer

President Roosevelt tells Lord Cromer that he looks forward to reading portions of the report, as he thinks Cromer is doing “as interesting a work as any one at this preset time in any part of the earth.” He does not know anything about the Sudan matter, but promises to take it up with Secretary of State Elihu Root. Roosevelt wishes he could see Cromer in the United States while he is still president. A handwritten postscript notifies Cromer that Major General Leonard Wood “handled the Moros in fine shape” in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Silas McBee

Theodore Roosevelt will tell Silas McBee “a little joke” on the Archbishop of Canterbury that happened when Roosevelt was a boy traveling with his father in Egypt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles William Eliot

President Roosevelt has seen the petition for the United States to give political independence to the Philippines, which Charles William Eliot has signed. Roosevelt writes that the Republican convention will not consider it, and if the Democrats do, they prove hypocritical. Roosevelt believes granting independence to the Philippines is the easy way out, while the right thing to do is to remain involved in the Philippines for the betterment of its people. Roosevelt cites other examples, such as Egypt and Cuba, and refers to Arthur Twining Hadley’s Freedom and Responsibility. Roosevelt asks if Eliot would see Secretary of War William H. Taft about the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to the Earl of Cromer

President Roosevelt would like to discuss various matters with Evelyn Baring, Earl of Cromer, and is sorry to hear that he will most likely be unable to visit the United States. General Wood will be traveling to Mindanao to take charge of the Moro problem and will hopefully travel by way of Egypt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt responds to a request from Senator Lodge that he comment on an article about Egypt written by Charles Francis Adams. Roosevelt observes that Adams was apparently not aware of many of the issues related to holding colonies before traveling to Egypt. Comparing the British occupation and control of Egypt and India with the relationship of the United States to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and particularly the Philippines, Roosevelt asserts that the goal of the United States must be to administer the islands for the good of the natives with an eye towards eventual self-government (whereas this has not always seemed to be the goal of the British). Roosevelt also quotes a letter from General Leonard Wood regarding the condition of British colonies and the topic of Chinese labor. Roosevelt believes that the United States has acted much more benevolently towards its island holdings than the British have towards their colonies, and praises the efforts that the United States has made in reducing corruption and increasing the effectiveness of the governments of these dependencies.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-30