Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-08-23

Creator(s)

Chadwick, French Ensor, 1844-1919

Recipient

Nelson

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt sends Henry White a copy of his manuscript, written in conjunction with A. T. Mahan, for W. Laird Clowes’ history of the British Navy. Roosevelt asks White to have his messenger deliver it to Sampson, Low, Marston & Co. for him. Roosevelt laments about the stresses of his new position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and confides in White that he wishes action would be taken regarding Cuba and Hawaii.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-05-24

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt sends W. Laird Clowes his work and hopes he can have it proofed within the next few months. Roosevelt is worried A. T. Mahan’s book will be published before the volume containing his work. He, Wm. S. Cowles, and Anna Roosevelt Cowles all look forward to Clowes’ upcoming trip to the United States following his improved health and the success of his latest book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-05-24

Lewis C. Breed compiled a book of Emperor Napoleon’s opinions and reflections on important topics and asks Theodore Roosevelt to comment on it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-23

William Sowden Sims thanks President Roosevelt for enclosing the letter from A. T. Mahan, which he describes as an “admirable presentation of the merits and defects” of the navy administration. Based on Mahan’s letter and the other men involved in the commission, Sims feels certain that the report will be sound from military, law, business, and political perspectives. He is hopeful that the commission’s findings will result in “many great improvements in military efficiency.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-14

Rear Admiral Cowles sends his thoughts regarding a paper by Rear Admiral H. N. Manney to his brother-in-law, President Roosevelt. Cowles was surprised by the paper, but notes that “one can’t do everything well,” and points out that Manney could handle a ship perfectly while Rear Admiral A. T. Mahan was no good handling ships, but was a great writer. Cowles adds his thoughts on Senators Henry Cabot Lodge and Joseph Benson Foraker and the verdict in the Big Bill Haywood trial.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-29

Ambassador Reid updates President Roosevelt on the activities of the American Embassy in London. Reid has attended and given some short speeches at the dedication of memorials related to Harvard or Yale alumni, noting that relationships forged though the universities strengthens ties between Great Britain and the United States. Reid has made a proposal for the arbitration between the United States and Great Britain regarding fisheries off of Newfoundland. Arthur F. Winnington Ingram, the Bishop of London, is looking forward to visiting the United States and will be present when Roosevelt dedicates a lecturn to Bruton Parish Church. King Edward VII and Parliament are still at work until August, but the current Parliament has not yet achieved much in the way of legislation. Reid describes the King and British people’s reactions to the International Peace Conference at The Hague, and the prevailing attitude about the immunity of private property at sea. Finally, Reid describes some press coverage at the recent 4th of July events at the Embassy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-19

Ambassador to Great Britain Reid has received photographs of President Roosevelt show jumping a horse, and will present them to King Edward VII when there are fewer dignitaries in town. Reid is amused by Roosevelt’s remark that he was not sure if his “encounter” with labor leaders and socialists was covered in the English papers – Reid describes the coverage as mostly in Roosevelt’s favor, adding his thoughts on the danger of anarchist ideas infiltrating labor movements in the United States and abroad. Reid discusses the similarity between the conflict between California and Japan and Newfoundland and the United States. Finally, Reid comments on the ongoing talks at the International Peace Conference at the Hague.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-07

Whitelaw Reid sends President Roosevelt an article written by Sidney Low, noting his mistake in implying that Americans were opposed to the Declaration of Paris because of its assent to the abolition of privateering. In fact, Reid argues, Americans wanted the clause to go further and make all private property exempt from seizure on seas and on land.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-24

Lieutenant Commander Sims responds to Captain Mahan’s paper from the United States Naval Institute. He generally agrees with Mahan except on the argument of speed, and can modify his own paper to be conclusive.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-29

John Carter Rose thanks President Roosevelt for hosting him. Rose shares with Roosevelt some additional thoughts about the graduated income tax, abolition of child labor, and the eight-hour work day. Rose argues that while all of these policies are good things, Roosevelt needs to be careful about how he messages them so that he does not alienate any of his supporters. Rose also urges caution in Roosevelt’s criticism of judges and his promotion of progressive judges, as both those actions will jar the legal profession. Rose closes by congratulating Roosevelt on his “moderate revolution.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-19

Admiral George Albert Converse reports to President Roosevelt the decision of the Navy General Board on the subject of big guns. While the General Board finds most compelling the arguments written by Captain A. T. Mahan, it also notes several advances in weaponry that mitigate Mahan’s recommendations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-16

Lieutenant Commander Sims reports the success of the United States Navy’s tests in long-range gunnery in Cape Cod Bay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-14

A recent report suggested that improving the speed of battleships was very important. The writer of this article concludes that if advances in this regard were unlimited, it would of course be extremely important; but there is a limit on speed that ships can reach which cannot be easily passed without extreme expense or sacrificing other important qualities.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-03

Lieutenant-Commander Sims addresses recent conclusions A. T. Mahan drew in an article on the battle of the Sea of Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. Sims contends that while Mahan’s conclusions may have been correct given the facts he was working from, the facts were inaccurate. Addressing each argument, Sims refutes Mahan’s arguments prioritizing gun-power over speed, asserting that all-big-gun ships are mistakes, and saying that the size of ships should not greatly increase. Sims illustrates how the converse of each of these would lead to a stronger, more modern navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-27

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.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-27

Contrary to the opinions of some observers, the course of battles in the Russo-Japanese War has not shown battleships to be obsolete. While battleships can be vulnerable to torpedo boats, this is already known, and the effectiveness of torpedo boats in the course of the war is likely to be less than was initially anticipated. Nevertheless, both types of vessels are important in the makeup of a navy. A substantial quotation from an article by Captain A. T. Mahan outlines the principles that must be considered when thinking about what sorts of ships a navy consists of.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-27

Chronology of the daily life of Theodore Roosevelt from January 1884 to December 1891. Notable events include the deaths of Alice Lee Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, Roosevelt’s time on his ranch, the completion of Sagamore Hill, Roosevelt’s engagement and marriage to Edith Kermit Carow, Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt’s birth, the “Great-Dieup” of cattle in North Dakota, and the founding of the Boone and Crockett Club.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1985

Captain A. T. Mahan will be writing an authoritative article about the composition of the Great White Fleet and the reasons for sending it first to the Pacific Coast, and then around the world. The article will feature in an upcoming double-size special Navy edition of Scientific American, which will be available December 7, 1907.

Collection

Duane G. Jundt Theodore Roosevelt Collection

Creation Date

1907

Serge Ricard studies the attitude of the United States government to arbitration and disarmament proposals put forward by the First and Second Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907. Ricard notes that the United States approved of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, but he stresses that the nation, especially under the administration of Theodore Roosevelt, did not pursue disarmament proposals. Ricard asserts that Roosevelt always favored preparedness over disarmament as the best means to avoid war, and he notes that the United States’ traditional policies of isolationism and non-interference in European affairs made it unlikely the country would embrace international bodies. Ricard notes that Secretary of State Elihu Root managed America’s participation in the Second Hague Peace Conference of 1907.

Six photographs and one illustration accompany the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal