Scientific expeditions

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edwin V. Morgan

Theodore Roosevelt is concerned about some of the specimens from the Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Exposition which have not arrived at the museum. He is concerned that they might have gone down with the S. S. Vandyck, which was sunk by a German cruiser off the coast of Brazil. Roosevelt requests that Edwin T. Morgan investigate what has happened to the specimens. He is pleased that Morgan translated his Outlook article and will send Morgan a pamphlet of his writings about the ongoing war.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to F. W. Taussig

President Roosevelt assures that he will contact Surgeon-Major Edgar Alexander Mearns and see if his expertise in mammalogy and ornithology will translate to insects while in Africa.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Byron S. Hurlbut

President Roosevelt has sent letters by Dean Hurlbut, F. W. Taussig, and Roland Thaxter to Edgar Alexander Mearns. Roosevelt will endeavor to assist Thaxter but will offer no promise until he hears from Mearns.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to R. J. Cunninghame

President Roosevelt places R. J. Cunninghame in charge of managing his safari caravan, and details his expectations for the trip. Roosevelt wants to begin hunting as quickly as possible after arriving in British East Africa and spending several weeks at Alfred E. Pease’s ranch to improve his physical fitness. Cunninghame should hire the necessary support staff and porters at his discretion. Roosevelt wants to hunt some of the “common game” near the railroad so that their skins can be easily transported, but he also hopes to kill big game and is willing to “go to any trouble” to do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Chester A. Snow

President Roosevelt informs Chester A. Snow that he finds “game butchery or slaughter of any kind utterly repugnant” and that he is going to Africa as head of the Smithsonian scientific expedition. Roosevelt does not know Mr. Locke but hopes he will work to prevent the needless slaughter of game in Texas and to establish wildlife reserves, rather than using his efforts to “discredit a good and worthy cause.”  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Caspar Whitney

President Roosevelt declines Caspar Whitney’s proposal to either author or authorize an account detailing the plans for his upcoming trip to Africa, as he claims it has already received enough publicity and that it is a “scientific trip” above all else. Roosevelt also does not wish to publicize his exact whereabouts and plans prior to the trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. Alden Loring

If J. Alden Loring wishes to join the expedition to Africa, President Roosevelt will inform Charles D. Walcott, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. However, he advises Loring that no member of the expedition party will be able to write about the trip until after Roosevelt has published his own articles and book as per his agreement with Scribner’s. The big game hunting will also only be done by Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edgar Alexander Mearns

Following the publication of Theodore Roosevelt’s article, Roosevelt would like Edgar Alexander Mearns to write a scientific report on the expedition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. J. Jusserand

President Roosevelt thanks French Ambassador Jusserand for the books he sent. Roosevelt tells Jusserand he is glad to have the distraction of his upcoming African Safari. Roosevelt shares his thoughts about leaving office, and the duty of a president to make the office as strong as possible, while at the same time not grasping for permanent power. Roosevelt discusses the problems with Turkey and Venezuela, adding that he wishes France could solve everything.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Bryce

President Roosevelt encloses a letter relating to Tibet and India for British Ambassador Bryce to share with the Foreign Office or any other part of the British government he believes appropriate, but that should otherwise be kept in strict confidence. Roosevelt believes William H. Taft will be elected president, but it is too early to be certain. Roosevelt tells Bryce about his plans for his African safari.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to F. R. Wingate

President Roosevelt asks F. R. Wingate several questions regarding his upcoming African safari, including where to find the best game, the best way to travel up the Nile, and when the best time would be to start writing to make arrangements for hunters, equipment shipments, and so on. Roosevelt emphasizes that he expects no special favors or treatment and that he is “no game butcher.” He intends to get hunting trophies for the National Museum of Natural History and perhaps a bull elephant of his own if “entirely proper.” Roosevelt is eager to see how the British are governing Egypt and East Africa, having recently read Modern Egypt by Evelyn Baring Cromer, and sympathises with the difficulty of colonial rule.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edgar Alexander Mearns

Theodore Roosevelt asks for Edgar Alexander Mearns’ feedback on the propositions regarding Mearns work as naturalist and medical advisor on the Africa expedition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

President Roosevelt heartily accepts Sir Alfred E. Pease’s invitation to stay at his ranch in Africa. Roosevelt gives many details and asks questions about his safari planning, including: his itinerary to Mombasa; game he would like to find; his lack of physical fitness and the necessity to start out slowly; how much money he should advance to various outfitters; pack horses and saddles; taxidermists and naturalists he plans to bring along; hunting rifles and ammunition for the trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Ziegler

President Roosevelt informs William Ziegler that he is interested in Walter Wellman’s work on an Arctic expedition, and endorses Wellman’s administrative abilities. Roosevelt notes he will help Wellman in any way, just as he helped Robert E. Peary’s arctic endeavors.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-11

Memorandum on Edgar Alexander Mearns

Edgar Alexander Mearns will be relieved from duty at Fort Totten, New York, and will report for duty in “connection with the operations of the Roosevelt Scientific Expedition to Africa.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-08

Letter from John Burroughs to Theodore Roosevelt

John Burroughs looks forward to hearing of Theodore Roosevelt’s experiences in South America. Burroughs cannot get to New York or Long Island before the fall. Burroughs compliments Roosevelt on “the finding of that unknown river” and wishes him a fast recovery from a tropical poison he encountered.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-07-08

Letter from Alexander Phimister Proctor to Theodore Roosevelt

Alexander Phimister Proctor is thankful that Theodore Roosevelt has safely returned from the South American expedition. He hopes it will be the last time Roosevelt takes “such desperate chances.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-05-21

Letter from Charles D. Walcott to Theodore Roosevelt

Charles D. Walcott signed a letter to Henry Fairfield Osborn notifying him of the transfer of two white rhinoceros skins that Theodore Roosevelt collected. He was sorry to hear of Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt’s accident and hopes she is recovering, especially as he knows what it is like to have someone close experience a serious accident. Childs Frick and Edmund Heller are in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) to augment the specimens collected while on safari with Roosevelt. Walcott will soon be in New York City and hopes to see Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-03

Letter from R. J. Cuninghame to Theodore Roosevelt

R. J. Cuninghame thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the letter and pamphlet on animal coloration. He reports the success of several safaris and gives updates on some of their friends and fellow hunters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-26

Letter from Frank M. Chapman to Theodore Roosevelt

Frank M. Chapman shares his congratulations with Theodore Roosevelt over Kermit Roosevelt’s successful expedition. Chapman also invites Roosevelt to visit the museum and have lunch with him whenever it is convenient for him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-05