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Memorandum from Smith S. Leach to James Franklin Bell

Memorandum from Smith S. Leach to James Franklin Bell

Corps of Engineers Lieutenant Colonel Leach summarizes James F. J. Archibald’s letter to President Roosevelt regarding the weak defense of the Hawaiian Islands. In general, the Pacific Ocean is very poorly defended and should be considered a vulnerability. Leach discuses the logistics of introducing submarine weapons into naval defenses and previous attempts to acquire such weapons. While Leach concedes that Hawaii is lacking in defense, he strongly disagrees with the position that the Pacific Ocean is vulnerable and proves this by listing the local forts and their weaponized capacity.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-21

Creator(s)

Leach, Smith S.

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt pens his son Kermit Roosevelt with updates about the family’s activities over the previous weekend, including rides on the presidential yacht and hikes with Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. He is especially gushing about his wife, and Kermit’s mother, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt’s aptitude for physical activity and general intelligence. Roosevelt goes on to describe his trouble responding to the San Francisco Board of Eduction’s attempt to remove Japanese students from schools. He believes that the general distain for the Japanese among Americans on the Pacific Coast, stemming from labor disputes and racism, is to blame. Congress’ refusal to fund new fortifications in Hawaii and the Philippines has added to Roosevelt’s woes in the region.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Warensburg Debating Team to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Warensburg Debating Team to Theodore Roosevelt

The Warrensburg Debating Team has arranged a debate with the Nebraska State Normal College on the topic of whether the Panama Canal should be fortified. Information on the topic is somewhat difficult to come by, and asks Theodore Roosevelt if he would be able to share any information on the subject, or his personal opinion on the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-04

Creator(s)

Warrensburg Debating Team

Report from the General Board of the Navy concerning the advantages of Subig Bay as a naval base

Report from the General Board of the Navy concerning the advantages of Subig Bay as a naval base

Secretary of War Wright submits to President Roosevelt a report from Chief of Staff General James Franklin Bell regarding the advisability of constructing and staffing defenses in Subig Bay. Bell cites maps and reports from the Japanese siege of Port Arthur. He suggests that it would be too costly and not feasible to put the main defenses there, in the event of a similar siege by Japan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-30

Creator(s)

Wright, Luke E. (Luke Edward), 1846-1922; Bell, James Franklin, 1856-1919

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood tells President Roosevelt he has received his instructions regarding how to handle trouble with a foreign enemy near the Philippine Islands. He tells the president, however, there is not clear understanding between the Army and Navy as to what they need to do. Wood indicates he has recommended an increase in the Philippine garrison to make sure it is large enough to protect the important places from raids and updates Roosevelt on the topographical work in the Philippines. Wood spends the majority of the letter discussing the relative strength of the military on the island and what he believes is necessary to be able to defend Subic Bay. He urges the development of a local board of fortification. Wood concludes by encouraging the development of a large Pacific fleet and informs Roosevelt he sent a similar letter to the War Department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-13

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood, Governor of the Moro Province of the Philippines, informs President Roosevelt about the situation in the occupied Philippines. He recommends that reenlistment periods for discharged soldiers be for one year instead of three to encourage the retention of trained troops, especially in the Philippines. He reports on the death of Philippine resistance leader Datu Ali. He recommends that the Hawaiian Islands be fortified against vulnerability to the Japanese, who are refitting Russian battleships. He favors fortifying the area of Manilla rather than the whole of the Philippines, preferring for funds to go towards building the Pacific Fleet. He asks that the garrisons in the Philippines be kept at war strength. He laments the loss of American railroad concessions in China, and warns against allowing Chinese laborers into the United States. He recommends encouraging English, Italian, German, and other European immigration to the Philippines through some form of territorial citizenship, free transportation, or tax incentives.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-13

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927