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President Roosevelt advises Secretary of War Taft to cancel his planned visits to Berlin, Paris, and St. Petersburg and instead depart from Cherbourg on November 11, citing public business as the reason for the changes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-08
Ambassador White updates President Roosevelt on his recent activities. White was supposed to have gone on a trip with French President Armand Fallières and Admiral Charles H. Stockton to review the United States naval squadron in Bordeaux, but due to potential protests in southern France, the trip was cancelled and Stockton and his officers were hosted at the President’s Palace and Ministry of the Navy instead. The Japanese Navy will meet the American squadron at Cherbourg, and Stockton will entertain the Japanese admiral and officers there. The French press has been trying to push the idea of war between the United States and Japan. J. J. Jusserand, French Ambassador to the United States, is visiting and is very eager about the new French embassy in the United States, a “sore subject” for White, as he has had trouble finding a suitable house in Paris. White says he will write a separate letter concerning American embassy buildings in the “leading capitals.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-19
Assistant Secretary of State Peirce informs William Loeb that Russian Diplomat Baron Rosen has expressed interest in meeting with President Roosevelt to discuss relations between Russia and the United States prior to the Russo-Japanese War peace conference. Peirce would also like to know who will be included in the dinner Roosevelt is planning for the plenipotentiaries.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-07-13
The center of this card is taken up by a photograph showing an equestrian statue of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in Cherbourg with several people standing in front of it. This image is surrounded by sprigs of flowers with the caption (in French), “From Cherbourg I send you these Flowers.” Charles C. Myers explains that there is a fine harbor in Cherbourg, and that it is where the U.S. Fleet anchored during their stay near France in December 1910.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Cherbourg is the principal seaport of Northern France and also the Naval Rendezvous. It is quite a thriving city of about 50 thousand inhabitants, but in no way a beautiful city even though it is considerable of a commercial center and the place where most ocean liners make their principal stops for France. it is about 4 hours ride by rail from Cherbourg to Paris and thru [sic] a beautiful country where agriculture is extensively carried on. This is Napoleon’s Statue which you see when you first land in the city.”
This postcard shows a view of an equestrian statue of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte looking back towards Cherbourg’s City Hall across a wide plaza. Several people gather and sit around the base of the statue, while a crows has also assembled near the city hall. Some people walk in the plaza, but it is largely empty.
Charles C. Myers describes the Christmas celebrations held in honor of the U.S. sailors at the Cherbourg City Hall when the fleet visited France, and says that “the people of Cherbourg put forth every effort to make the visit of the Americans one of pleasure.”
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This is the same statue when looking another direction, and in the distant [sic] is the city hall which is a very fine stone Bldg. and it was in this Bldg that many banquets and entertainments were held in honor of the visit of the American Fleet to that place in the fall of 1910. On Christmas Eve there was an entertainment and Xmas Tree which was full of presents and souvenirs for the American Sailors and a jolly time was had by all that were present.”
This postcard shows a street scene from Cherbourg, France. While the left side is taken up by a street thickly lined with trees, the right side shows the large, arched roof of the train station. In the background stands the Fort du Roule on the mountain.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “A street scene in the city. The arched roof Bldg is the Ry. station where we took the train for Paris. The round trip fare was 20 franc which is $4 in U.S. money, this however was excursion rates for the American men.”
This postcard shows a parade of musicians entering Cherbourg’s public gardens through a large gate. Many other passers-by stand near, waiting to follow them into the gardens. Above on the right stands the high cliffs of Roule mountain with a fort perched on top.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This is the city park which is near the Ry station at at the foot of the cliff 500 ft high.”
This postcard shows a woman wearing a bonnet and dress drawing water from a public fountain. She looks up at the camera with what Charles C. Myers says is a smile characteristic of many older women from the Normandy region of France. Myers additionally points out the heavy wooden shoes the woman wears.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This is the customary dress for the old ladies and you always see the happy expression on their faces. They wear heavy wood shoes which adds to the unique effect of their attire.”
This postcard shows a french château near Cherbourg. The manor house sits nestled among trees across a pond and lawn.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “One of the summer resorts near Cherbourg which is one of the most favored places of the kind in all France.”
This postcard looks over a portion of a canal connected to the Divette River towards Mount Roule. A large fortress can be seen on top of the mountain.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “This is the same high cliff that we saw a moment ago as it lay near the Ry station. This is the view you get of the place from the train after you start for Paris.”
Charles C. Myers describes a series of seven postcards depicting the port of Cherbourg, France, its people, and its surroundings.
Unknown
Ambassador Sternburg has heard that Secretary of War William H. Taft plans to leave Europe immediately due to the situation in Ohio. He asks President Roosevelt if Taft will follow this plan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-11