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Senator Bourne of Oregon asks President Roosevelt if the Great White Fleet might visit Portland, as has been suggested by the Portland Chamber of Commerce. In addition to bringing satisfaction to the people of Oregon, this stop in the freshwater harbor would save costs that would have been spent on cleaning the ships.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-04
Arnold White writes about the international situation in Europe, addressing first Russia’s desire for a warm water port, and then his impression of Germany’s goals with regards to Europe. Germany, White says, is the only nation with something to gain from a European war, and that the push for war is coming from the Jewish influence in Germany. With President Roosevelt’s election and friendship towards Germany, the United States has been removed as a potential deterrent toward German aggression. White ends with a prediction that if war happens, it will come through German aggression towards the Netherlands moving towards a collision with Great Britain, and he admonishes his reader that Germany must be watched.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-04
View of the Georgetown waterfront as seen from Mason’s Island, later called Theodore Roosevelt Island. Numerous sailing vessels are anchored on the waterfront.
Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial
1865
President Roosevelt received Alice Lee’s letter about his nominating Russell C. Allen to be Collector of the Port at San Diego. He would like to learn more about Allen, and to nominate him, but the Senators in California support former state Senator Martin Luther Ward. Ward has strong local backing, and Roosevelt does not want to have a fight between himself and the Senators.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-28
President Roosevelt is glad Pearl Wight is a national committeeman and inquires about Wight’s relations with Louisiana Senator Murphy J. Foster. Roosevelt specifically asks if Wight can figure out what Foster would think about appointing William P. Luck as the appraiser of customs for the port of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-12
William S. Cowles writes to President Roosevelt regarding naval preparations. Cowles is in agreement with Captain A. T. Mahan’s warning about the old 74s being handier in the line of battle than any of the 100 gun ships recently built. Cowles notes that the larger ships are less handy than smaller vessels such as the USS Kentucky, USS Kearsarge, USS Alabama, and USS Illinois, which have superior steering capabilities.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-27
Secretary of War Taft instructs Governor-General Wright to inform the Russian Navy Admiral, Zinoviĭ Petrovich Rozhestvenskiĭ, that President Roosevelt will not allow battle-damaged ships to be repaired in the port of Manila unless they are interned there until the end of the conflict. It is United States policy to restrict the actions of belligerent parties in neutral ports. Taft further instructs Wright to turn over the orders to Admiral Charles Jackson Train after he delivers the message.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-05
A postcard showing the ocean and a high cliff with buildings. Charles C. Myers notes it is the harbor at Sydney, Australia.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “Sydney, Australia, has the finest harbor in the world for commercial purpouses [sic]. To get into this great horbor [sic] from the ocean the entrance is between two rocky cliffs about 300 ft high. Sydney is about 1200 miles west from Auckland N. Z. On the top of this cliff you see a small village, this is the city of Manly, directly across the bay from Sydney.”
A postcard showing a waterfront with buildings visible in the background and a tree in the foreground. Charles C. Myers notes that it shows one of the suburbs of Sydney, Australia.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “When you get inside of the harbor you see a beautiful picture in any direction you may look. This is one of the many prominent points along the waters edge and noted for thr [sic] many fine buildings and residences.”
Postcard showing buildings along a waterfront in Valparaiso, Chile. Charles C. Myers notes that the harbor is one of the deepest in the world.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “On Sat. March 11th we arrived in the harbor at Walparaiso [sic] Chile. This is not much of an horbor (sic) as it is only a small bay along the coast and open to the sea but is one of the deepest harbors in the world and the largest battleships may anchor real close the shore and in fact they are obliged to come close to shore or it is too deep to anchor. While in the vicinity of the Magellan Straits one of the many attractions was the great Albetross (sic) which is one of the most magnificent specimens of the bird family. It surpasses all other birds in power and gracefulness of flight. It glides rather than flies, scarcely ever flapping its wings, but staying in the air apparently without any exertion. This bird often measure 12 ft between the tip of its outspread wings. Here and appearing somewhat like a sea gull only having a long slim neck and the water when suddenly it would shoot down into the water like a stone and always come up with a fish in its bill.”
A fleet of U.S. Navy submarines is seen entering the harbor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, amid jagged rocks and cliffs. The submarines are safely moored, and then the sailors go ashore. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., then Governor of Puerto Rico, greets and shakes hands with the fleet commander.
Sherman Grinberg Film Collection
1930-04-19
The Commission to Investigate Port Conditions and Pier Extensions lists its organizers and states its purpose, which is to make sure the pier facilities in New York are safe and up to standard.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-16
Postcard featuring a color image of the Mayflower, with Theodore Roosevelt on board, and other ships in Hampton Roads harbor, February 22, 1909.
1909-11-10